Callinicus ( grc-gre, Καλλίνικος, Kallínikos) was the

exarch of Ravenna The Exarchate of Ravenna ( la, Exarchatus Ravennatis; el, Εξαρχάτο της Ραβέννας) or of Italy was a lordship of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) in Italy, from 584 to 751, when the last exarch was put to death by the ...

from 597 until 602 or 603. He is called Gallicinus, or ''Gallicini patricii'', by the Lombard historian

Paul the Deacon Paul the Deacon ( 720s 13 April in 796, 797, 798, or 799 AD), also known as ''Paulus Diaconus'', ''Warnefridus'', ''Barnefridus'', or ''Winfridus'', and sometimes suffixed ''Cassinensis'' (''i.e.'' "of Monte Cassino"), was a Benedictine monk, s ...

Latin text
English ''patrician Gallicinus''). The first few years of his administration were marked by relatively good fortune. In 598 an armistice between the Byzantines and the Lombards had been concluded in which the Lombards were acknowledged as sovereign rulers of the lands in their possession, and which was observed by both parties over the following years. However around 601, Callinicus took advantage of a rebellion by Dukes Gaidoald of Trent and

Gisulf II of Friuli Gisulf II (''Gisulfo II di Friuli''; abt. 545 – 611) was the Duke of Friuli from around 591 to his death. He was the son and successor of Gisulf I. Gisulf and Gaidoald of Trent were at odds with King Agilulf until they made peace in 602 or 603. ...

to break the peace by kidnapping the Lombard king

Agilulf Agilulf ( 555 – April 616), called ''the Thuringian'' and nicknamed ''Ago'', was a duke of Turin and king of the Lombards from 591 until his death. A relative of his predecessor Authari, Agilulf was of Thuringian origin and belonged to the An ...

's daughter and her husband, Duke Godescalc of

Parma Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 ...

.Paul the Deacon ''History'', 4.20 (translated by Foulke, p. 165) records the kidnapping; Jeffrey Richards, ''The Popes and the Papacy in the Early Middle Ages'' (London:Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1979), p. 174, explains Callinicus' motivation. In response, Agilulf invaded the Exarchate, destroying

Padua Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...

, pillaging

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; ist, Eîstria; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian, Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; formerly in Latin and in Ancient Greek) is the larges ...

, then defeating Callinicus outside the walls of Ravenna.Richards, ''Popes and the Papacy'', p. 174 Shortly afterwards Callinicus was replaced by

Smaragdus Smaragdus ( grc-gre, Σμαράγδος, Smarágdos) was Exarch of Ravenna from 585 to 589 and again from 603 to 611. During his first tenure, Smaragdus made an alliance with the Franks and Avars against the perennial foes of the Exarchate, the ...

; Richards states Callinicus was recalled.

References

6th-century exarchs of Ravenna 7th-century exarchs of Ravenna 600s deaths Year of birth unknown {{Byzantine-bio-stub