The inability of the exarch to impose his authority in Rome and his weakness in the Pentapolis was transformed into impotence when the "armies", that is, the Roman military aristocracies, of the duchies of the Ravennate, the Pentapolis, and Venetia rose in revolt declaring that they would protect the pope from the imperial decree, which Paul had been ordered to enforce throughout Italy (727).
Exarkens manglende evne til at håndhæve sin autoritet i Rom og hans svage styre i Pentapolis blev til magtløshed, da "hærene", dvs. det romerske militære aristokrati i hertugdømmerne i Ravennatet, Pentapolis og Venedig gjorde oprør og erklærede at de ville beskytte paven mod det kejserlige dekret, som Paul havde fået ordre til at håndhæve i hele Italien (727).