[Footnote 1:  Mr. Hodgkin (op. cit. vi. 157) suggests that the predecessor of Isaac was that Euselnus who, as ambassador for Constantinople, persuaded, or is said to have persuaded, Adalwald, King of the Lombards since the death of his father, Agilulf (615), to slay all his chief men and nobles, and to hand over the Lombard kingdom to the empire; but was poisoned, it is suggested, by Isaac in Ravenna, whither he had fled when he had killed twelve among them.  Ariwald succeeded him (625).]

[Footnote 2:  Paulus Diaconus, cf.  Hodgkin, vi. 168.]

[Illustration:  THE SARCOPHAGUS OF EXARCH ISAAC]

Nor was this all.  It is in Isaac’s time that the growing jealousy of the empire in regard to the papacy for the first time breaks into flame.  Isaac, who as exarch had the right to “approve” the election of the pope, on the accession of Severinus (638) sent Maurice his chartularius to Rome as his ambassador.  This Maurice it seems was eager against the papal power, and finding an opportunity in Rome suddenly seized the Lateran and its wealth at the head of “the Roman army,” and wrote to Isaac that he might come and enjoy the spoil.  The exarch presently arrived in Rome, resided in the Lateran during eight days, banished the cardinals, and proceeded to steal everything he could lay his hands on in the name of the emperor, to whom he sent a part of the booty.  A little later Maurice attempted to repeat his rape, but doubtless hoping to enrich himself he began by repudiating Isaac, who then dealt with him, had him brought northward, and beheaded at a place called Ficulae, twelve miles from Ravenna; but before he could decide what punishment to mete out to Maurice’s accomplices the exarch himself died, “smitten,” as it was said, “by God,” and the exarchate was filled apparently by Theodore Calliopas (644-646).

Theodore Calliopas was twice exarch.  Of his first administration we know nothing at all; but in 646 he was succeeded by Plato (646-649), whose name we learn from a letter of the emperor Constans II. to his successor Olympius (649-652), who had been imperial chamberlain in Constantinople.  Theodore Calliopas was then again appointed and ruled in Ravenna for eleven years (653-664).

We have seen the empire and the papacy politically at enmity and certainly bent on attaining different political ends in Italy and the West, and this is emphasised by the economic condition of Italy which the empire taxed heavily.  Philosophically Constantinople had never perhaps been very eagerly Catholic—­or must one say papal?  But now at this dangerous moment a doctrine definitely heretical was to be officially adopted there and supported by emperor and patriarch with insistance and perhaps enthusiasm.  Heraclius, the grandfather of Constans II., had asserted the Monothelete heresy which maintained that although Christ had two distinct natures yet He had but one Will—­his human will being merged