v11_0581 - ITALY - LOMBARDY - COINAGE IN THE NAME OF JUSTINIAN I Demi-silique

ITALY - LOMBARDY - COINAGE IN THE NAME OF JUSTINIAN I

(568-774)

The Lombards are originally a Germanic people, who, after a long march towards the Danube, crossed the Alps around 568 under the leadership of King Alboin. In less than four years, from 568 to 572, they invaded the Po plain. Without real political unity, many Lombard duchies emerged. They converted to Christianity at the beginning of the 7th century and King Agilulf had his children baptized. In 663, the Lombards pushed back the Byzantine troops of Constant II who sought to reconquer Italy. The Lombards seized Bologna in 728 then Ravenna in 751. The pope, threatened, asked for help from the Franks with whom he made an alliance in 754. Pepin the Short launched two expeditions which resulted, in 756, in the Treaty of Pavia . This treaty did not calm the Lombards, however, who invaded the Papal States in 772. Charlemagne intervened in 774 and forced Didier to capitulate; this intervention marked the decline of the Lombards.