54. Paul the Deacon (de Gestis Langobard, l. ii. c. 14
[seqq.], p. 784) describes the provinces of Italy about the
end of the eighth century. 'Venetia' non solum in paucis
insulis quas nunc Venetias dicimus, constat; sed ejus
terminus a Pannoniae finibus usque Adduam fluvium
protelatur. The history of that province till the age of
Charlemagne forms the first and most interesting part of the
Verona Illustrata (p. 1-388), in which the Marquis Scipio
Maffei has shown himself equally capable ot enlarged views
and minute disquisitions.