Paul the Deacon (c.720–c.799) was a Lombard scholar, writer, historian, teacher and monk, best known for his history of the Lombard people.
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 “Historia Langobardorum” is the oldest chronicle relevant to the history of Venice. It probably dates to the 780s or 790s.