The events around the demise of the Exarchate of Ravenna only involved the Venetians marginally. It is nevertheless important to the history of Venice.
Venice started as a Byzantine duchy, ruled by a “dux”, but at some point, they started choosing their own dux — or doge. When, or even who, is not clear.
Was the first doge really the first? Did he even exist? And if he didn’t, why is he there? There are some serious questions about doge Paulicius (697·717) to be examined.
The lagoon was settled in Antiquity, and in the 600s, there were numerous known towns, and several important cities. Venice, however, was not one of them.
Following the Lombard invasion and conquest of Venetia, a part of the Venetian population of the mainland cities fled or left for the settlements in the nearby lagoons.