The Doge's Palace is one of the most iconic buildings in Venice today. But what is a Doge, and how did the position come into being? Today we look at the stories of the first three Doges in the early 8th century, as the Venetians begin their slow journey of emerging from the shadow of their Byzantine masters to become a political and commercial force to be reckoned with in their own right.

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As the Lombards sweep through the north-east of Italy, some of the inhabitants of the Byzantine province of Venetia retreat to form new permanent settlements on the islands of the long, narrow coastal lagoon. The foundation stone of the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta on the island of Torcello dates from 639AD, giving us the first evidence of permanent buildings in the scattered settlements that will eventually coalesce to form the city of Venice. 

All music in this podcast is used under Creative Commons licence from Musopen.org

After travelling through the foundation myths of the city in the last episode, this week we are peering into the dense fog of history to find the earliest real traces of life in the lagoon. Join us as we navigate our way through Goths and Huns, look for omens in the flight of birds, and encounter the worst decade in human history.

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The medieval Venetians loved to tell the story of the foundation of their city -- and everyone told the story slightly differently. This episode is a little different from what our usual format will be, with Jess asking Simon about the history of the city's foundation myth.

Intro music used under Creative Commons licence from musopen.org.

A short introductory episode for the History of Venice Podcast previewing what's coming up, who we are and why we chose this wonderful city and its people to tell their stories. 

Intro music used under Creative Commons licence from Musopen.org