The “Liber Pontificalis” on how a Byzantine general invited the Lombards to come and possess Italy, if they pleased.
Why did the Lombards decide to invade Byzantine Italy in 568? A popular story was the Byzantine general Narses, who had just retaken Italy for the empire, invited them. Was Narses a traitor to the empire?
The Lombard invasion of Byzantine Italy in 568 was a pivotal event in Venetian history, as it kicked off the movement towards a distinct Venetian society, culture and, ultimately, state.
The Lombard invasion of Venetia in 568 — from “Historia Langobardorum” by Paul the Deacon.
The “Historia Langobardorum” is the oldest chronicle relevant to the history of Venice. It probably dates to the 780s or 790s.
In late Antiquity the north-east of the Italian peninsula suffered many invasions. The wars caused people to move to the safer lagoon areas, and hence to the foundation of Venice.
