The reconstruction of a reliable series of the dukes of Spoleto is hindered by the scarcity and ambiguity of early sources. In the 17th century recorded the dukes in his history of Spoleto, while discussed them in his history of
Camerino, the second city of the duchy. Among later scholars Gaspero Berretti, a Cassinese monk, treated the subject in the ''Tavola cronografica dell'Italia a' tempi di mezzo'', included in the tenth volume of
Ludovico Antonio Muratori's collection. Further attempts were made by
Giuseppe Simone Assemani in
De Italia Historia Scriptoribus, by Pratillo in the prolegomena to the works of
Paul the Deacon, and by Grimaldi, Spinelli, and Turchi in the ''Serie de' vescovi di Camerino
. later attempted to correct earlier series in his Manuale cronologico'', though without complete accuracy. Several scholars relied on catalogues preserved in the archive of
Farfa Abbey, first published by
Jean Mabillon in the
Museo Italico and later reproduced by Muratori in the
Chronicon Farfense. The Farfa archive forms the principal documentary basis for the duchy, containing thousands of records from the Duchy of Spoleto dating mainly to the 8th-10th centuries, many naming the reigning duke in their dating clauses. Despite their importance, neither the Farfa catalogues nor Muratori's chronological notes provide a secure framework. Reconstruction of the ducal succession is further hindered by limited narrative sources for the Lombard and Carolingian periods. Paul the Deacon presented an unsystematic account of events without precise chronology. Even the Farfa documents themselves, though they frequently name a duke in the dating clause, do not always specify the year of accession, making it difficult to determine the beginning and duration of individual reigns. ==See also==