Eraclea (or Heraclia or Civitas Nova Heracliana)
Eraclea (orig. Civitas Nova Heracliana, also Civitanova), founded in 640, was originally situated on a lagoon island. It was the first seat of the doges of Venice, before it moved to Metamauco.
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Ursus Hypatos — third and first doge of Venice
Ursus Hypatos was the third doge of Venice, likely the first chosen locally, but we have almost no sources for him.
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Hildeprand in Ravenna — Paul the Deacon
In the 730s or early 740s, Hildeprand, nephew of king Liutprand, and Peredeo, duke of Vicenza, managed to take Ravenna, the capital of the Exarchate of Ravenna.
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The demise of the Exarchate
The events around the demise of the Exarchate of Ravenna only involved the Venetians marginally. It is nevertheless important to the history of Venice.
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John VI — Liber pontificalis ecclesiae Ravennatis
The eventful reign of John VI, bishop of Ravenna (726–744), from the “Liber pontificalis ecclesiae Ravennatis”.
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Marcellus — Byzantine or Venetian?
The second doge of Venice, Marcellus, might not have been a Venetian duke, but a Byzantine official.
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The Dogado and the first doges
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.
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Paulicius — the first doge of Venice?
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.
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The first doges — John the Deacon
The account of the election of the first three doges of Venice (Pauluccio, Marcello and Orso), from the “Istoria Veneticorum” by John the Deacon.
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Lagoon settlements in the early Middle Ages
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.
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The settlements of the lagoons — John the Deacon
The list of lagoon settlements before the year 1000, from the “Istoria Veneticorum” by John the Deacon.