John of Ephesus
A particularly hostile chapter of John of Ephesus alleges that Anastasius was a crypto-pagan, struggling to prevent the Christian Church from ever unifying. Anastasius' constant harassment of monophysites probably explains the hostility of the historian. John of Ephesus cites that when Samaritans came under religious persecution, Anastasius bribed officials to drop the charges. A minority of modern historians have suggested that Anastasius could have been an adherent of Samaritanism, posing as a Christian. Most consider him a genuine Chalcedonian, the charges against him being purely political.