However, the story is a bit more nuanced:
* 751 AD: Aistulf captured Ravenna, marking the end of the Exarchate as a Byzantine possession.
* 754 AD: The Lombard conquest was cemented with the formal surrender of the city to Aistulf.
So, while 751 is often cited as the end date, 754 represents the complete fall of the Exarchate under Lombard control.
It's also worth noting that the Exarchate had been in decline for some time before its fall. The Lombards had been expanding their power, and Byzantine control had weakened due to internal conflicts and the rise of the Islamic Caliphate.