ABSTRACT
When Obelerius, Bishop of Olivolo, an island in Venetian lagoon, died in 798, a sixteen-year-old Greek by the name of Christopher was recommended as the new bishop, by the local representatives of the central Byzantine administration. The undoubted significance of the events in the remote military and administrative unit of the empire can only be interpreted correctly in light of the general situation in 798. The transition from the sixth to the seventh century was a time of relatively sudden decline in the ecclesiastical organization of the empire's Western provinces. In the mid- to late eighth century, there was a sudden proliferation in the number of bishoprics throughout the northern Adriatic basin. The whole affair clearly indicates that significant attention was given to the role and importance of the clergy as precursors to military and political expansion. In contrast to relative abundance of records for northern Adriatic bishoprics, there is almost complete silence when it comes to those farther south.
