Romanus (Exarch)

Romanus was an East Roman Patrician and Exarch of Ravenna of 589 / 590-595 / 597th

Romanus followed Smaragdus Exarchate in 589/590. The schismatics claimed in a letter which they addressed to the Emperor early 591, the convenient location in Italy is an achievement of Romanus. And also from two letters of Romanus even know that he has led the attack since the beginning of 590 in conjunction with the Frankish king Childebert II executed against the Lombards, by the Byzantines most of the eastern part of Upper Italy, with the cities Altinum in the north, Modena and Mantua in the northwest, regained. The success of Romanus were favored not only by the rebellion of some Langobardenherzöge (Parma, Reggio, Piacenza and Friuli ), but also by the situation in the east, where the Byzantines lived since the year 591 by the Sassanids in peace and only against the nations had to exist in the north of the Balkan fighting. Now obviously the greatest value was placed on the one hand, the Ravenna, the center of Byzantine rule in Italy, lying territory to assert itself as a base of operations, on the other hand to make the connection with Illyria on the mainland safely.

It was therefore necessary Romanus the south and west of Italy negligible, so that Rome was continually in need. And since the approach towards the Lombards necessary indulgence of the schismatic bishops brought with it the support of the Emperor and his Exarch did not want to do without, a natural contrast between the exarch and the Pope Gregory was I. The Pope, who, with the schismatics the enemies in their own country, never could tolerate, independent policy began to drive, the intended, around Rome by separate agreement with the Lombards to give rest and slowly pull over to Catholicism.

Through the campaign the years 592-593 Romanus managed to recapture the cities Sutrium ( Sutri), Polimartium ( Bomarzo ), Horta ( places ), Tuder ( Todi), Ameria ( Amelia), Perusia (Perugia ), Luceolis ( Cantiano ) of the Lombards.

Romanus died in office, his successor was Callinicus. Romanos is mentioned for the last time in June 595 and Callinicus as Exarch in June 597