Moscow, third Rome

For the concept of "third Rome" in general, see Succession of the Roman Empire.
Lesser version of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire with the double-headed eagle, formerly associated with the Byzantine Empire

Moscow, third Rome (Russian: Москва — третий Рим; Moskva, tretiĭ Rim) is a theological and political concept asserting Moscow as the successor to ancient Rome, with the Russian world carrying forward the legacy of the Roman Empire. The term "third Rome" refers to a historical topic of debate in European culture: the question of the successor city to the "first Rome" (Rome, within the Western Roman Empire) and the "second Rome" (Constantinople, within the Eastern Roman Empire).