In classical history, Illyria or Illyricum was a country on the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians, a heterogeneous coalition of tribes which were spread from modern Hungary to Greece. Illyrian traces are noticed even in southern Poland, Illyrian elements exist in Baltic and Slavic languages.
The main Illyrian towns were Lissus and Epidamus. The area had been settled by two groups that would later be known as the Pannonians and the Dalmatians in Roman Empire times. The inhabitants were Indo-European language speakers, called Illyrians and are believed to be the main ancestral group of modern Albanians. The Albanian transliteration "i lir" translates to a free person. The name Albania is derived from the name of an Illyrian tribe called the Arber, or Arberesh , and later Albanoi, that lived near Durres.
In ancient mythology, the name of Illyria is aitiologically traced to Illyrius, the son of Cadmus and Harmonia, who eventually ruled Illyria and became the eponymous ancestor of the Illyrians.
About 1300 B.C. this people of Indo-European stock settled on the northern and eastern coasts of the Adriatic Sea. Included among its members were various tribes of Dalmatians and the Pannonians. Those of Illyrians who crossed the Adriatic and settled in Italy spoke the Messapic language. The Greeks established cities on the Adriatic coast of Illyria in the 7th and 6th centuries B.C., and in the 4th and 3rd, Macedonian kings conquered parts of the land. The last Illyrian kingdom was established in the 3rd century B.C. with the capital in Scodra (now Shkoder, Albania). After Dalmatia seceded from the Illyrian kingdom the Romans conquered Scodra and there established, in 168 B.C., a colony they named Illyricum. Gradually Dalmatia was conquered (78-77 B.C.); then, by 35-34 B.C. the southern areas of the former kingdom of Illyria were added and, in 9 B.C., Pannonia in the north. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, the region of ancient Illyria became part of the Byzantine Empire.
In the next two centuries Slavic peoples gradually drifted in to settle on Illyrian lands, and as early as the 6th century, North Illyrians, who lived in Pannonia and modern Croatia and Slovenia, were completely assimilated by them.
The Illyrians carried on commerce and warfare with their neighbors. The ancient Macedonians probably had some Illyrian roots, but their ruling class adopted Greek cultural characteristics. The Illyrians also mingled with the Thracians, another ancient people with adjoining lands on the east. In the south and along the Adriatic Sea coast, the Illyrians were heavily influenced by the Greeks, who founded trading colonies there. The present-day city of Durres evolved from a Greek colony known as Epidamnos, which was founded at the end of the 7th century BC Another famous Greek colony, Apollonia, arose between Durres and the port city of Vlor .
The Illyrians produced and traded cattle, horses, agricultural goods, and wares fashioned from locally mined copper and iron. Feuds and warfare were constant facts of life for the Illyrian tribes, and Illyrian pirates plagued shipping on the Adriatic Sea. Councils of elders chose the chieftains who headed each of the numerous Illyrian tribes. From time to time, local chieftains extended their rule over other tribes and formed short-lived kingdoms. During the 5th century BC, a well-developed Illyrian population center existed as far north as the upper Sava River valley in what is now Slovenia. Illyrian friezes discovered near the present-day Slovenian city of Ljubljana depict ritual sacrifices, feasts, battles, sporting events, and other activities.
THE ILLYRIAN KINGDOMS
The earliest recorded Illyrian Kingdom was that of the Enchele in the 8th century BC. The Autariatae under Pleurias (337 BC) were considered to have been a kingdom. The Kingdom of the Ardiaei began at 230 BC and ended at 167 BC. The most notable Illyrian kingdoms and dynasties were those of Bardyllis of the Dardani and of Agron of the Ardiaei who created the last and best-known Illyrian kingdom. Agron ruled over the Ardiaei and had extended his rule to other tribes as well.
Polybius gives as an image of society within an Illyrian kingdom as peasant infantry fought under aristocrats which he calls in Greek Polydynastae where each one controlled a town within the kingdom. The monarchy was established on hereditary lines and Illyrian rulers used marriages as a means of alliance with other powers. Pliny (23–79 AD) writes that the people that formed the nucleus of the Illyrian kingdom were 'Illyrians proper' or Illyrii Proprie. They were the Taulantii, the Pleraei, the Endirudini, Sasaei, Grabaei and the Labeatae. These later joined to form the Docleatae.
The Illyrian kingdom of Bardhyllus became a formidable local power in the 4th century BC. In 359 BC King Perdicces of Macedon was killed by attacking Illyrians. In 358 BC, however, Macedonia's Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, defeated the Illyrians and assumed control of their territory as far as Lake Ohrid. Alexander himself routed the forces of the Illyrian chieftain Clitus in 335 BC, and Illyrian tribal leaders and soldiers accompanied Alexander on his conquest of Persia. After Alexander's death in 323 BC, independent Illyrian kingdoms again arose. In 312 BC, King Glaucius expelled the Greeks from Durres. By the end of the third century, an Illyrian kingdom based near what is now the Albanian city of Shkoder controlled parts of northern Albania, Montenegro, and Herzegovina. Under Queen Teuta, Illyrians attacked Roman merchant vessels plying the Adriatic Sea and gave Rome an excuse to invade the Balkans.
In the Illyrian Wars of 219 BC and 229 BC, Rome overran the Illyrian settlements in the Neretva River valley. The Romans made new gains in 168 BC, and Roman forces captured Illyria's King Gentius at Shkoder, which they called Scodra, and brought him to Rome in 165 BC. A century later, Julius Caesar and his rival Pompey fought their decisive battle near Durr s (Dyrrachium). Rome finally subjugated recalcitrant Illyrian tribes in the western Balkans during the reign of Emperor Tiberius in 9 AD. The Romans divided the lands that make up present-day Albania among the provinces of Macedonia, Dalmatia, and Epirus.
For about four centuries, Roman rule brought the Illyrian-populated lands economic and cultural advancement and ended most of the enervating clashes among local tribes. The Illyrian mountain clansmen retained local authority but pledged allegiance to the emperor and acknowledged the authority of his envoys. During a yearly holiday honoring the Caesars, the Illyrian mountaineers swore loyalty to the emperor and reaffirmed their political rights. A form of this tradition, known as the kuvend, has survived to the present day in northern Albania.
The Romans established numerous military camps and colonies and completely latinized the coastal cities. They also oversaw the construction of aqueducts and roads, including the Via Egnatia, a famous military highway and trade route that led from Durres through the Shkumbini River valley to Macedonia and Byzantium (later Constantinople). Copper, asphalt, and silver were extracted from the mountains. The main exports were wine, cheese, oil, and fish from Shkod r Lake and Lake Ohrid. Imports included tools, metalware, luxury goods, and other manufactured articles. Apollonia became a cultural center, and Julius Caesar himself sent his nephew, later the Emperor Augustus, to study there.
ROMAN EMPERORS WITH ILLYRIAN ORIGIN
Illyrians distinguished themselves as warriors in the Roman legions and made up a significant portion of the Praetorian Guard. Several of the Roman emperors were of Illyrian origin. They included Diocletian (284-305) who saved the empire from disintegration by introducing institutional reforms and Constantine the Great (324-337) who accepted Christianity and transferred the empire's capital from Rome to Byzantium, which he called Constantinople. Emperor Justinian (527-565) -- who codified Roman law, built the most famous Byzantine church, the Hagia Sofia, and reextended the empire's control over lost territories.
Christianity came to the Illyrian-populated lands in the 1st century Saint Paul wrote that he preached in the Roman province of Illyricum, and legend holds that he visited Durres. When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in 395, the lands that now make up Albania were administered by the Eastern Empire but were ecclesiastically dependent on Rome. However in 732 a Byzantine emperor, Leo the Isaurian, subordinated the area to the patriarchate of Constantinople. For centuries thereafter, the Albanian lands became an arena for the ecclesiastical struggle between Rome and Constantinople. Most Albanians living in the mountainous north became Roman Catholic, while in the southern and central regions, the majority became Orthodox
The name "Illyria" went out of use after the division of the empire under Diocletian.
The name was revived by Napoleon for the 'Provinces of Illyria' that were incorporated into the French Empire from 1809 to 1813, and the 'Kingdom of Illyria' was part of Austria until 1849, after which time it was not used in the reorganised Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Illyrian tribes
Alban
Arber
Ardian
Dalmat
Dardan
Dasaret
Enkelejt
Eordej
Epiriot
Japod
Japyg
Kaon
Labeat
Mesap
Mollos
Paion
Parthin
Penest
Pirust
Taulant
Thesprot
ILLYRIAN KINGS AND QUEENS
Illyrian chiefs wore bronze torques around their necks much like the Celts did.
Mythological
Illyrius and his kin
Cadmus & Harmonia give birth to their youngest son Illyrius
Illyrius,
Polyphemus & Galatea give birth to Illyrius and his brothers
Celtus founder of the Celts
Galas founder of the Gauls
Illyrius
Grabos from the royal house of Grabaei 4th century BC
Pleuratus I 4th century BC
Pleurias of the Autariatae 337 BC
Glaukias of the Taulanti 335-302 BC
Pleuratus II son of Skerdilaidas
Epulon of the Histri 2nd century BC
Pinnes of Pannnonia rebelled against the Romans at 6 AD
Bato/Baton Warlord of the Daesiates rebelled against the Romans at 6 AD
Bato II Warlord of the Breuci rebelled against the Romans at 6 AD
ARDIAEI
Rulers of the Ardiaean kingdom
Agron of the Ardiaei 250 BC - 230 BC
Triteuta mother of Pinnes
Queen Teuta regent to Pinnes 230 BC - 228 BC
Pinnes, never really ruled 230 BC - 217 BC*
Skerdilaidas 218 BC - 205 BC
Gentius of the Ardiaei, 181– 168 BC last king
Ballaios perhaps ruled the city of Rhizon, 167 BC - 135 BC
DARDANIANS
Bardyllis of the Dardani from 385 BC -358 BC
Audata probably daughter of Bardyllis and wife of Philip II married to him after the battle of 358.
Cleitus the Illyrian son of Bardyllis, 4th century BC
Bardyllis II Probably Cleitus son, 4th century BC
Bircenna granddaughter of Cleitus an daughter of Bardyllis II.
Monunius of the Dardani first Illyrian to mint coins, around 280 BC
Etuta daughter of Monunius 3rd century BC
Mytilus successor to Monunius, around 270 BC
Longarus of the Dardani father of Bato
Bato of Dardania of the Dardani son of Longarus
ILLYRICIANI
These Roman emperors are called Illyriciani due to their Illyrian Origin
Decius - ruled AD 249-251
Hostilianus - ruled AD 251
Claudius II "Gothicus" - ruled AD 268-270
Quintillus - ruled AD 270
Aurelian - ruled AD 270-275 (either from Dacia ripensis[49],Dacia or Illyricum)
Probus - ruled AD 276-282
Diocletian - ruled AD 284-305
Maximianus "Herculius" - ruled AD 286-305
Constantine I - ruled AD 306-337
Maximinus Daia - ruled AD 308-313
Jovian - ruled AD 363-364
Valentinianus I - ruled AD 364-375
Valens - ruled AD 364-378
Gratian - ruled AD 375-383
Valentinianus II - ruled AD 375-392
Marcianus - ruled AD 450-457 (either Illyricum or Moesia, Thrace)
Anastasius I - ruled AD 491-518
Justin I - ruled AD 518-527 (either Thracian or Illyrian but born in Moesia, Thrace)
Justinian I - ruled AD 527-565
