Venetian Stories

Just as Venice gradually grew politically independent as an unintended result of the interactions with, and between the surrounding powers, the church organisation within Venetia also acquired some level of independence both from the papacy, and from the mainland powers. Unsurprisingly, the process which led to a separate Venetian church had very little to do with religion and faith. Read the full transcript. Links Past episodes in the “Early Venice” series. Episode 3 — The Roman and Byzantine period Episode 27 — Cassiodorus Episode 28 — The early sources Episode 29 — The Lombard Invasion Episode 30 — Venetia Maritima Episode 31 — The world of Venetia Episode 32 — The first doges of Venice Episode 33 — The Demise of the Exarchate Episode 34 — The Duchy of the Venetians Episode 35 — Patriarchs galore History Walks Venice Early Venice Main sources for early Venice The Istoria Veneticorum by John the Deacon The Chronicon Altinate The Chronica per extensum descripta by Andrea Dandolo

As the Byzantine presence in northern Italy waned, and vanished, the Duchy of the Venetians was the only Byzantine territory left. Outside direct imperial control, the Venetians had to find their own way, and it wasn't easy. Early Venetian politics was therefore often turbulent, factional, violent and deadly. Read the full transcript. Links Past episodes in the “Early Venice” series. Episode 3 — The Roman and Byzantine period Episode 27 — Cassiodorus Episode 28 — The early sources Episode 29 — The Lombard Invasion Episode 30 — Venetia Maritima Episode 31 — The world of Venetia Episode 32 — The first doges of Venice Episode 33 — The Demise of the Exarchate Episode 34 — The Duchy of the Venetians Episode 35 — Patriarchs galore History Walks Venice Early Venice Main sources for early Venice The Istoria Veneticorum by John the Deacon The Chronicon Altinate The Chronica per extensum descripta by Andrea Dandolo

The events around the demise of the Exarchate of Ravenna only marginally involved the Venetians. It is nevertheless important to the history of Venice. Without the Exarchate, the empire was more distant, and Venetia was therefore less protected, but also less constrained. Read the full transcript. Errata corrige It is not entirely correct, that we don't have any sources for the fate of exarch Eutychius. The Chronicon Salernitanum, written in the late 900s, has this passage: "Afterwards, Aistulf, a most cunning and fierce man, was elevated in the Kingdom. At this time, Eutychius, a Roman patrician, surrendered himself to Aistulf who at the same time won Comacchio, Ferrara and Istria in battle." Links Past episodes in the “Early Venice” series. Episode 3 — The Roman and Byzantine period Episode 27 — Cassiodorus Episode 28 — The early sources Episode 29 — The Lombard Invasion Episode 30 — Venetia Maritima Episode 31 — The world of Venetia Episode 32 — The first doges of Venice Episode 33 — The Demise of the Exarchate Episode 34 — The Duchy of the Venetians Episode 35 — Patriarchs galore Translated sources Iconoclasm — Paul the Deacon Gregory II — Liber Pontificalis John VI — Liber pontificalis ecclesiae Ravennatis Zachary — Liber Pontificalis

If you thought fake news is a recent invention, think again. The traditional story of the first Venetian doges is little more than that, a made up story. Several of them probably didn't even exist, and if they did, weren't what we're told they were. Fake news from a thousand years ago, but well seasoned. You've been warned. Read the full transcript. Links Past episodes in the “Early Venice” series. Episode 3 — The Roman and Byzantine period Episode 27 — Cassiodorus Episode 28 — The early sources Episode 29 — The Lombard Invasion Episode 30 — Venetia Maritima Episode 31 — The world of Venetia Episode 32 — The first doges of Venice Episode 33 — The Demise of the Exarchate Episode 34 — The Duchy of the Venetians Episode 35 — Patriarchs galore

The Venetians fleeing the Lombards migrated into the lagoons along the Adriatic coast. Lagoons in the plural, as there were several, but what kind of environment was that, why was it there, and how did the Venetian settle in? Read the full transcript. Links Past episodes in the “Early Venice” series. Episode 3 — The Roman and Byzantine period Episode 27 — Cassiodorus Episode 28 — The early sources Episode 29 — The Lombard Invasion Episode 30 — Venetia Maritima Episode 31 — The world of Venetia Episode 32 — The first doges of Venice Episode 33 — The Demise of the Exarchate Episode 34 — The Duchy of the Venetians Episode 35 — Patriarchs galore History Walks Early Venice The Historia Langobardorum by Paul the Deacon The Lombard Invasion Did Narses invite the Lombards? The conquest of Venetia Main sources for early Venice Kings of the Lombards

The invasion of the Lombards in 568 set in motion another migration. A part of the people of the Byzantine province of Venetia fled the Lombards, and headed for the areas which remained under the control of Constantinople. A century later, the only territories not controlled by the Lombards were the lagoons from Grado in the north to Cavarzere in the south. This area was initially called Venetia Maritima, and later, the Duchy of the Venetians, or in Venetian: the dogado. Read the full transcript. Links Past episodes in the “Early Venice” series. Episode 3 — The Roman and Byzantine period Episode 27 — Cassiodorus Episode 28 — The early sources Episode 29 — The Lombard Invasion Episode 30 — Venetia Maritima Episode 31 — The world of Venetia Episode 32 — The first doges of Venice Episode 33 — The Demise of the Exarchate Episode 34 — The Duchy of the Venetians Episode 35 — Patriarchs galore History Walks Early Venice The Historia Langobardorum by Paul the Deacon The Lombard Invasion Did Narses invite the Lombards? Main sources for early Venice Kings of the Lombards

The Lombard invasion of Byzantine Italy in 568 was a pivotal event in Venetian history. The invasion and the conquests that followed, led to an increased importance of the lagoon settlements, to a slow demise of Byzantine control in north-east Italy, to the establishment of a semi-independent church in the lagoons, and ultimately to Venetian statehood. Read the full transcript. Links Past episodes in the “Early Venice” series. Episode 3 — The Roman and Byzantine period Episode 27 — Cassiodorus Episode 28 — The early sources Episode 29 — The Lombard Invasion Episode 30 — Venetia Maritima Episode 31 — The world of Venetia Episode 32 — The first doges of Venice Episode 33 — The Demise of the Exarchate Episode 34 — The Duchy of the Venetians Episode 35 — Patriarchs galore History Wallks Paul the Deacon — The Invasion of Italy External History of the Langobards by Paul the Deacon, translated by William Dudley Foulke (1906) Liber Pontificalis, translated by Louise Ropes Loomis (1916)

What we know about the early history of Venice comes almost entirely from a dozen or so medieval chronicles, which were copied from each other in ways which are difficult, if not impossible, to disentangle. Moreover, the chronicles come to us as copies of copies of copies, more, but often less complete. Read the full transcript. Links Early Venice Doges of Venice The Tombs of the Doges Past episodes in the “Early Venice” series. Episode 3 — The Roman and Byzantine period Episode 27 — Cassiodorus Episode 28 — The early sources Episode 29 — The Lombard Invasion Episode 30 — Venetia Maritima Episode 31 — The world of Venetia Episode 32 — The first doges of Venice Episode 33 — The Demise of the Exarchate Episode 34 — The Duchy of the Venetians Episode 35 — Patriarchs galore

March 25th is supposedly the birthday of Venice. That might be true, or it might not be because we have no primary sources for such an event, and no archaeological evidence. The oldest written source we have, which mentions the earliest residents of the lagoons, is a letter somebody sent them, from around 537. Read the full transcript. Links The Variae — The Complete Translation by M. Shane Bjornlie Translation by Thomas Hodgkin The originals in Latin Past episodes in the “Early Venice” series. Episode 3 — The Roman and Byzantine period Episode 27 — Cassiodorus Episode 28 — The early sources Episode 29 — The Lombard Invasion Episode 30 — Venetia Maritima Episode 31 — The world of Venetia Episode 32 — The first doges of Venice Episode 33 — The Demise of the Exarchate Episode 34 — The Duchy of the Venetians Episode 35 — Patriarchs galore

One of the most common questions I get on my walking tours, is about sewage. Where does it go? Are the canals open sewers? What about Katharine Hepburn? Now, Venice does have a sewage system, sort of, and it usually works, until it doesn't. The reason for this — somewhat shorter — episode, is that for us, last week, it didn't. Read the full transcript. Links Sewage Well, actually Strada Nova – from the Station to Rialto Illustrations