Venice emerges as an independent city-state in…

Venice emerges as an independent city-state in the first half of the eighth century.

Venetian authority becomes concentrated in the city-state’s first doge, whose title derives from the Latin “dux” ("leader").

Orso Ipato, the third traditional Doge of Venice, is the first historically known.

Elected leader of Venice around 726, will eventually be appointed Roman consul by Emperor Leo III.

According to John Julius Norwich (A History of Venice. Alfred A. Knopf: New York, 1982), Paolo Lucio Anafesto, the reputed first doge of Venice, was actually Exarch Paul.

Moreover, Paul's magister militum had the same first name as Paoluccio's reputed successor, Marcellus Tegallianus, casting doubt on the authenticity of that doge as well.

As popular revolts against iconoclasm break out in the late 720s in Venice, ...