Editing Exarch (section)

== Political exarchs ==
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{{Further|Roman diocese|Exarchate of Ravenna|Exarchate of Africa}}
In the civil administration of the Byzantine Empire the exarch was, as stated above, the imperial governor of a large and important region of the Empire. The Exarchates were a response to weakening imperial authority in the provinces and were part of the overall process of unification of civil and military offices, initiated in early form by [[Justinian I]], which would lead eventually to the creation of the [[Theme (Byzantine district)|Thematic system]] by either the Emperor [[Heraclius]] or [[Constans II]].

After the dissolution of the Western Empire in the late fifth century, the [[Eastern Roman Empire]] remained stable through the beginning of the Middle Ages and retained the ability for future expansion. [[Justinian I]] reconquered North Africa, Italy, Dalmatia and finally parts of Spain for the Eastern Roman Empire. However, this put an incredible strain on the Empire's limited resources. Subsequent emperors would not surrender the re-conquered land to remedy the situation. Thus the stage was set for Emperor [[Maurice (emperor)|Maurice]] to establish the Exarchates to deal with the constantly evolving situation of the provinces.

In Italy the [[Lombards]] were the main opposition to [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] power. In North Africa the [[Amazigh]] or [[Berber people|Berber]] princes were ascendant due to Roman weakness outside the coastal cities. The problems associated with many enemies on various fronts (the [[Visigoths]] in Spain, the [[Slavs]] and [[Avars (Carpathians)|Avars]] in the Balkans, the [[Sassanid]] Persians in the Middle East, and the Amazigh in North Africa) forced the imperial government to decentralize and devolve power to the former provinces.

The term Exarch most commonly refers to the Exarch of Italy, who governed the area of Italy and Dalmatia, still remaining under Byzantine control after the [[Lombards|Lombard]] invasion of 568. The exarchate's seat was at [[Ravenna]], whence it is known as the "[[Exarchate of Ravenna]]". Ravenna remained the seat of the Exarch until the revolt of 727 over [[Byzantine Iconoclasm|Iconoclasm]]. Thereafter, the growing menace of the [[Lombards]] and the split between eastern and western [[Christendom]] that Iconoclasm caused made the position of the Exarch more and more untenable. The last Exarch was killed by the Lombards in 751.

A second exarchate was created by Maurice to administer northern Africa, formerly a separate [[Praetorian prefecture of Africa|praetorian prefecture]], the islands of the western Mediterranean and the [[Spania|Byzantine possessions in Spain]]. The capital of the [[Exarchate of Africa]] was [[Carthage]]. An emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, [[Heraclius]], was the son of the exarch of Africa before Heraclius replaced the usurper emperor [[Phocas]] in 610. Phocas had revolted under emperor [[Maurice (emperor)|Maurice]] who had appointed Heraclius' father as exarch of Africa. The exarchate proved both financially and militarily strong, and survived until the Arab Muslim conquest of Carthage in 698.