Jovian, surnamed Hypatus or Ceparius (

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

: ''Gioviano Ceparico Ipato''), was

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

magister militum (Latin for "master of soldiers", plural ) was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine the Great. The term referred to the senior military officer (equivalent to a war theatre commander, ...

per Venetiae'' in charge of the duchy of Venice in 740. Following the murder of the doge

Orso Ipato Orso Ipato (Latin: ''Ursus Hypatus''; died 737) was the third traditional Doge of Venice (726–737) and the first historically known. During his eleven-year reign, he brought great change to the Venetian navy, aided in the recapture of Ravenn ...

in 737, 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 ...

imposed administration by annual ''magistri militum'' on Venice who replaced the

doge A doge ( , ; plural dogi or doges) was an elected lord and head of state in several Italian city-states, notably Venice and Genoa, during the medieval and renaissance periods. Such states are referred to as " crowned republics". Etymology The ...

. Jovian was the fourth of these officials. This period of government by ''magistri militum'' lasted until 742, when the fifth and last of such officials was deposed and the dogeship was restored. Not much is known about Jovian. John the Deacon, who wrote the '' Chronicon Venetum et Gradense'', in the early 11th century, said that he ruled wisely. He called him the ''ipato'' named Jovianus. This indicates that he had the title of ''hypatos''. This was a Byzantine honorary title which roughly meant first among the consuls. During his government there was a violent clash between the town of Heraclia and neighbour and rival Equilium.

References

* Heinrich Kretschmayr, ''Geschichte von Venedig, Band I: Bis zum Tode Enrico Dandolos'', Gotha 1905 * Samuele Romanin, ''Storia documentata di Venezia'', Pietro Naratovich tipografo editore, Venezia, 1853. 8th-century Doges of Venice Magistri militum {{Italy-politician-stub