Duchy of Benevento

Duchy of Benevento Ducatus Beneventi (Latin)
577–774
Calvary cross potent motif was commonly minted on coins by various princes
Lombard Duchy of Benevento in the eighth century
Status	Vassal state of the Kingdom of the Lombards
Capital	Benevento
Common languages	Lombardic Vulgar Latin Byzantine Greek
Religion	Chalcedonian Christianity (official), Arianism (former)
Government	Monarchy
Duke
• 571–591	Zotto (first duke)
• 758–774	Arechis II (last duke & first prince)
History
• Established	577
• Frankish conquest of the Kingdom of the Lombards	774
• Disestablished	774
Currency	Solidus, tremissis, denarius
Preceded by Succeeded by Byzantine Empire Kingdom of the Lombards Principality of Benevento
Today part of	Italy

The Duchy of Benevento was the southernmost Lombard duchy in the Italian Peninsula that was centered in Benevento, a city in Southern Italy. Lombard dukes ruled Benevento from 571 to 774, when the Kingdom of the Lombards was conquered by the Kingdom of the Franks. Being cut off from the rest of the Lombard possessions by the papal Duchy of Rome, Benevento always had held some degree of independence. Only during the reigns of Grimoald (r. 662–671) and the kings from Liutprand (r. 712–744) on was the duchy closely tied to the Kingdom of the Lombards. After the fall of the in 774, the duchy became the sole Lombard territory which continued to exist as a rump state, maintaining its de facto independence for nearly 300 years as the Principality of Benevento.

Paul the Deacon referred to Benevento as the "Samnite Duchy" (Ducatum Samnitium) after the region of Samnium.^[1]