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102-626: The territory the Illyrians inhabited came to be known as Illyria to later Greek and Roman authors, who identified a territory that corresponds to most of Albania , Montenegro , Kosovo , much of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina , western and central Serbia and some parts of Slovenia between the Adriatic Sea in the west, the Drava river in the north, the Morava river in the east and

204-523: A 'small water snake'. The Illyrian ethnonym shows a dl > ll shift via assimilation as well as the addition of the suffix - uri(o) which is found in Illyrian toponyms such as Tragurium . Eichner also points out the tribal name's close semantic correspondence to that of the Enchelei which translates to 'eel-people', depicting a similar motif of aquatic snake-like fauna. It is also pointed out that

306-642: A Celtic people mixed with the indigenous Illyrian and Thracian population. The Pannonians have not been known to the Greeks, and it seems that before the 2nd century BC they did not come into contact with the Romans. Almost all the Greek writers referred to the Pannonians with the name Paeones until late Roman times. The Scordisci and Pannonians were considered Illyrian mainly because they belonged to Illyricum since

408-572: A South Slavic cultural and political campaign by a group of young Croatian intellectuals during the first half of the 19th century, that led to Yugoslavism . William Shakespeare chose a fictionalized Illyria as the setting for his play Twelfth Night . (The modernized film spoof She's the Man is set in "Illyria High School" in California.) Shakespeare also mentioned the region in the Part 2 of

510-634: A dispersal from the western Balkans towards this region, perhaps via an intermediary group in the Italian peninsula. Different versions of the genealogy of the Illyrians, their tribes and their eponymous ancestor, Illyrius , existed in the ancient world both in fictional and non-fictional Greco-Roman literature. The fact that there were many versions of the genealogical story of Illyrius was ascertained by Ancient Greek historian Appian (1st–2nd century AD). However, only two versions of all these genealogical stories are attested. The first version—which reports

612-461: A fight and to face danger but slow witted". Illyrian rulers wore bronze torques around their necks. Apart from conflicts between Illyrians and neighbouring nations and tribes, numerous wars were recorded among Illyrian tribes too. The languages spoken by the Illyrian tribes are an extinct and poorly attested Indo-European language group, and it is not clear whether the languages belonged to

714-560: A kingdom established on the north-western borders of Upper Macedonia . From the 5th century BC onwards, the term Illyrian was already applied to a large ethnic group whose territory extended deep into the Balkan mainland. Ancient Greeks clearly considered the Illyrians as a completely distinct ethnos from both the neighboring Thracians and the Macedonians . Most scholars hold that the territory originally designated as 'Illyrian'

816-621: 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. As for the Dardanians, they always had separate domains from

918-613: A southern Illyrian dialect whereas an alternative hypothesis holds that Albanian was descended from the Thracian language. Not enough is known of the ancient language to completely prove or disprove either hypothesis, see Origin of the Albanians . Pontic Steppe Caucasus East Asia Illyria In classical and late antiquity , Illyria ( / ɪ ˈ l ɪər i ə / ; Ancient Greek : Ἰλλυρία , Illyría or Ἰλλυρίς , Illyrís ; Latin : Illyria , Illyricum )

1020-408: A speech he attributes to Brasidas , in which he recounts that the mode of rulership among the Illyrian tribes is that of dynasteia —which Thucidides used in reference to foreign customs—neither democratic, nor oligarchic. Brasidas then goes on to explain that in the dynasteia the ruler rose to power "by no other means than by superiority in fighting". Pseudo-Scymnus (2nd century BC) in reference to

1122-633: A strong reputation for piracy especially common during the regency of king Agron and later queen Teuta . They used fast and maneuverable ships of types known as lembus and liburna which were subsequently used by the Ancient Macedonians and Romans. Livy described the Illyrians along with the Liburnians and Istrians as nations of savages in general noted for their piracy. Illyria appears in Greco-Roman historiography from

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1224-647: 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 dicti . They were the Taulantii , the Pleraei , the Endirudini , Sasaei , Grabaei and the Labeatae . These later joined to form

1326-427: A visit by Hecataeus to an Egyptian temple at Thebes . It recounts how the priests showed Hecataeus a series of statues in the temple's inner sanctum, each one supposedly set up by the high priest of each generation. Hecataeus, says Herodotus, had seen the same spectacle, after mentioning that he traced his descent, through sixteen generations, from a god. The Egyptians compared his genealogy to their own, as recorded by

1428-604: Is Velleius Paterculus , which was incorporated into the second book of Roman History . Another ancient source about it is the biography of Octavius Augustus by Pliny the Elder . The two leaders of uprising were Bato the Breucian and Bato the Daesitiate . Geographically, the name 'Illyria' came to mean Roman Illyricum which from the 4th century to the 7th century signified the prefecture of Illyricum . It covered much of

1530-542: Is a matter of debate among scholars, and includes the hypothesis of the origin of the Albanian language from an Illyrian language , which is often supported by scholars for obvious geographic and historical reasons but not proven. While the Illyrians are largely recorded under the ethnonyms of Illyrioi ( Ἰλλυριοί ) and Illyrii, these appear to be misspelt renditions by Greek or Latin-speaking writers. Based on historically attested forms denoting specific Illyrian tribes or

1632-732: Is traced to increased contacts with the Mediterranean and La Tène 'global worlds'. This catalyzed "the development of more complex political institutions and the increase in differences between individual communities". Emerging local elites selectively adopted either La Tène or Hellenistic and, later, Roman cultural templates "in order to legitimize and strengthen domination within their communities. They were competing fiercely through either alliance or conflict and resistance to Roman expansion. Thus, they established more complex political alliances, which convinced (Greco-Roman) sources to see them as 'ethnic' identities." The Roman Republic subdued

1734-471: Is unlikely that they used any collective nomenclature at all. Illyrians seems to be the name of a specific Illyrian tribe who were among the first to encounter the ancient Greeks during the Bronze Age . The Greeks later applied this term Illyrians , pars pro toto , to all people with similar language and customs. In archaeological, historical and linguistic studies, research about the Illyrians, from

1836-555: The Adriatic Sea . The Romans came nevertheless into a series of conflicts with the Illyrians, equally known as the Illyrian Wars , beginning in 229 BC until 168 BC as the Romans defeated Gentius at Scodra . The Great Illyrian Uprising took place in the Roman province of Illyricum in the 1st century AD, in which an alliance of native peoples revolted against the Romans. The main ancient source that describes this military conflict

1938-757: The Azali were transferred from their homeland to frontier areas (northern Hungary) after the Great Illyrian Revolt. In Dacia , Illyrian communities like the Pirustae who were skilled miners were settled to the gold mines of Alburnus Maior where they formed their own communities. In Trajan 's period these population movements were likely part of a deliberate policy of resettling, while later they involved free migrations. In their new regions, they were free salaried workers. Inscriptions show that by that era many of Illyrians had acquired Roman citizenship. By

2040-497: The Ceraunian Mountains in the south. The first account of Illyrian people dates back to the 6th century BC, in the works of the ancient Greek writer Hecataeus of Miletus . The name "Illyrians", as applied by the ancient Greeks to their northern neighbors, may have referred to a broad, ill-defined group of people. It has been suggested that the Illyrian tribes never collectively identified as "Illyrians", and that it

2142-571: The Dardani as a region of overlapping between the two. A third area, to the north of them – which in ancient literature was usually identified as part of Illyria – has been connected more to the Venetic language than to Illyrian. Illyric settlement in Italy was and still is attributed to a few ancient tribes which are thought to have migrated along the Adriatic shorelines to the Italian peninsula from

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2244-571: The Daunii and the Peucetii . Based on historical and archaeological data, it has been widely thought that Messapic reached Apulia through the Illyrian migrations across the Adriatic Sea. On both sides of the border region between southern Illyria and northern Epirus, the contact between the Illyrian and Greek languages produced an area of bilingualism between the two, although it is unclear how

2346-512: The Docleatae . The Romans defeated Gentius , the last king of Illyria, at Scodra (in present-day Albania) in 168 BC and captured him, bringing him to Rome in 165 BC. Four client-republics were set up, which were in fact ruled by Rome. Later, the region was directly governed by Rome and organized as a province , with Scodra as its capital. The Roman province of Illyricum replaced the formerly independent kingdom of Illyria. It stretched from

2448-562: The Drilon river in modern Albania to Istria ( Croatia ) in the west and to the Sava river ( Bosnia and Herzegovina ) in the north. Salona (near modern Split in Croatia) functioned as its capital. After subduing a troublesome revolt of Pannonians and Daesitiates , Roman administrators dissolved the province of Illyricum and divided its lands between the new provinces of Pannonia in

2550-422: The Enchelei had chosen to be their leaders. He eventually ruled Illyria and became the eponymous ancestor of the whole Illyrian people. In one of these versions, Illyrius was named so after Cadmus left him by a river named the Illyrian , where a serpent found and raised him. Appian writes that many mythological stories were still circulating in his time, and he chose a particular version because it seemed to be

2652-457: The Enchelei , which seems to have reached its height from the 8th–7th centuries BC, but the kingdom fell from dominant power around the 6th century BC. It seems that the weakening of the kingdom of Enchelae resulted in their assimilation and inclusion into a newly established Illyrian realm at the latest in the 5th century BC, marking the arising of the Dassaretii , who appear to have replaced

2754-525: The Taulantii , Parthini , Dardani , Encheleae , Autariates , Dassaretii and the Daorsi . Autareius had a son Pannonius or Paeon and these had sons Scordiscus and Triballus . Appian's genealogy was evidently composed in Roman times encompassing barbarian peoples other than Illyrians like Celts and Galatians . and choosing a specific story for his audience that included most of the peoples who dwelled in

2856-687: The Urnfield - Lusatian culture into the west Balkans has ever been found. Mathieson et al. 2018 archaeogenetic study included three samples from Dalmatia : two Early & Middle Bronze Age (1631-1521/1618-1513 calBCE) samples from Veliki Vanik (near Vrgorac ) and one Iron Age (805-761 calBCE) sample from Jazinka Cave in Krka National Park . According to ADMIXTURE analysis they had approximately 60% Early European Farmers , 33% Western Steppe Herders and 7% Western Hunter-Gatherer -related ancestry. The male individual from Veliki Vanik carried

2958-526: The Venetic language in the Italian Peninsula but this view was abandoned. Other scholars have linked them with the adjacent Thracian language supposing an intermediate convergence area or dialect continuum , but this view is also not generally supported. All these languages were likely extinct by the 5th century AD although traditionally, the Albanian language is identified as the descendant of Illyrian dialects that survived in remote areas of

3060-668: The Y-DNA haplogroup J2b2a1-L283 while his and two female individuals mtDNA haplogroup were I1a1 , W3a1 and HV0e . Freilich et al. 2021 identify the Veliki Vanik samples as related to the Cetina culture (EBA-MBA western Balkans). Patterson et al. 2022 study examined 18 samples from the Middle Bronze Age up to Early Iron Age Croatia, which was part of Illyria. Out of the nine Y-DNA samples retrieved, which coincide with

3162-444: The centum or the satem group. The Illyrians were subject to varying degrees of Celticization , Hellenization , Romanization and later Slavicization which possibly led to the extinction of their languages. In modern research, use of concepts like "Hellenization" and "Romanization" has declined as they have been criticized as simplistic notions which cannot describe the actual processes through which material development moved from

Illyrians - Misplaced Pages Continue

3264-583: The " Illyrian Armorials ", depicted fictional coats of arms of Illyria. The name Illyria was revived by Napoleon for the Illyrian Provinces that were incorporated into the French Empire from 1809 to 1813, and the Kingdom of Illyria (1816–1849) was part of Austria until 1849, after which time it was not used in the reorganised Austro-Hungarian Empire . The Illyrian movement was

3366-664: The 10th century BC up to the 1st century AD in the region defined by the Ancient Greek and Roman historians as Illyria . It concerns the armed conflicts of the Illyrian tribes and their kingdoms in the Balkan Peninsula and the Italian Peninsula as well as their pirate activity in the Adriatic Sea within the Mediterranean Sea . The Illyrians were a notorious seafaring people with

3468-579: The 1920s placed the proto-Illyrians as the original inhabitants of a very large area which reached central Europe. These theories, which have been dismissed, were used in the politics of the era and its racialist notions of Nordicism and Aryanism . The main fact which these theories tried to address was the existence of traces of Illyrian toponymy in parts of Europe beyond the western Balkans, an issue whose origins are still unclear. The specific theories have found little archaeological corroboration, as no convincing evidence for significant migratory movements from

3570-425: The 4th century BC. Illyrians were regarded as bloodthirsty, unpredictable, turbulent, and warlike by Ancient Greeks and Romans. They were seen as savages on the edge of their world. Polybius (3rd century BC) wrote: "the Romans had freed the Greeks from the enemies of all mankind". According to the Romans, the Illyrians were tall and well-built. Herodianus writes that " Pannonians are tall and strong always ready for

3672-422: The 5th century, the bishops of Illyria withdrew from communion with Rome, without attaching themselves to Constantinople , and remained for a time independent, but in 515, forty Illyrian bishops renewed their loyalty to Rome by declaring allegiance to Pope Hormisdas . The patriarchs of Constantinople succeeded in bringing Illyria under their jurisdiction in the 8th century. The name Illyria only disappears from

3774-596: The Ancient Greeks must have learned this name from a tribe in southern Illyria, later applying it to all related and neighbouring peoples. The terms Illyrians , Illyria and Illyricum have been used throughout history for ethnic and geographic contextualizations that have changed over time. Re-contextualizations of these terms often confused ancient writers and modern scholars. Notable scholarly efforts have been dedicated to trying to analyze and explain these changes. The first known mention of Illyrians occurred in

3876-677: The Balkans during the Middle Ages but evidence "is too meager and contradictory for us to know whether the term Illyrian even referred to a single language". The ancestor dialects of the Albanian language would have survived somewhere along the boundary of Latin and Ancient Greek linguistic influence, the Jireček Line . There are various modern historians and linguists who believe that the modern Albanian language might have descended from

3978-678: The Dalmatian islands. After Philip II of Macedon defeated Bardylis (358 BC), the Grabaei under Grabos II became the strongest state in Illyria. Philip II killed 7,000 Illyrians in a great victory and annexed the territory up to Lake Ohrid . Next, Philip II reduced the Grabaei, and then went for the Ardiaei , defeated the Triballi (339 BC), and fought with Pleurias (337 BC). During

4080-786: The Early Iron Age Illyrians made "part of the same Mediterranean continuum" with the "autochthonous [...] Roman Republicans " and had high affinity with Daunians , part of Iapygians in Apulia , southeastern Italy. Iron Age male samples from Daunian sites have yielded J-M241>J-L283+, R-M269>Z2103+ and I-M223 lineages. Three Bronze Age males which carry J-L283 have been found in the Late Bronze Age Nuragic civilization of Sardinia . This late find in Sardinia in comparison to western Balkan samples suggests

4182-569: The Earth" or "World Survey") and Γενεαλογίαι ( Genealogiai ) or the Ἱστορία ( Historia ). However, they only survive in fragments. Periodos ges was written in two books, the first on Europe, the second on Asia, in which he included Africa. The book is a comprehensive work on geography beginning at the Straits of Gibraltar and going clockwise ending at the Atlantic coast of Morocco following

Illyrians - Misplaced Pages Continue

4284-411: The Elder and Pomponius Mela used the term Illyrii proprie dicti ('properly called Illyrians') to designate a people that was located in the coast of modern Albania and Montenegro. Many modern scholars view the 'properly called Illyrians' as a trace of the Illyrian kingdom known in the sources from the 4th century BC until 167 BC, which was ruled in Roman times by the Ardiaei and Labeatae when it

4386-533: The Enchelei in the lakeland area of Lychnidus . According to a number of modern scholars the dynasty of Bardylis —the first attested Illyrian dynasty—was Dassaretan. The weakening of the Enchelean realm was also caused by the strengthening of another Illyrian kingdom established in its vicinity—that of the Taulantii —which existed for some time along with that of the Enchelei. The Taulantii—another people among

4488-586: The Illyrian settlements and suppressed the piracy that had made the Adriatic unsafe for Roman commerce. There were three campaigns : the first against Teuta , the second against Demetrius of Pharos and the third against Gentius . The initial campaign in 229 BC marks the first time that the Roman Navy crossed the Adriatic Sea to launch an invasion. The impetus behind the emergence of larger regional groups, such as "Iapodes", "Liburnians", "Pannonians" etc.,

4590-560: The Illyrian tribes evidently never collectively identified themselves as Illyrians and that it is unlikely that they used any collective nomenclature at all. Most modern scholars are certain that all the peoples of western Balkans that were collectively labeled as 'Illyrians' were not a culturally or linguistically homogeneous entity. For instance, some tribes like the Bryges would not have been identified as Illyrian. What criteria were initially used to define this group of peoples or how and why

4692-452: The Illyrians as a whole (e.g., Úlloí ( Ύλλοί ) and Hil(l)uri ), the native tribal name from which these renditions were based has been reconstructed by linguists such as Heiner Eichner as * Hillurio- (< older * Hullurio- ). According to Eichner, this ethnonym, translating to 'water snake', is derived from Proto-Indo-European * ud-lo ('of water, aquatic') sharing a common root with Ancient Greek üllos ( ϋλλος ) meaning 'fish' or

4794-515: The Illyrians during the 2nd century BC. An Illyrian revolt was crushed under Augustus , resulting in the division of Illyria in the provinces of Pannonia in the north and Dalmatia in the south. Depictions of the Illyrians, usually described as "barbarians" or "savages", are universally negative in Greek and Roman sources. Prior to the Roman conquest of Illyria , the Roman Republic had started expanding its power and territory across

4896-477: The Illyrians expanded. The area of the Illyrii proprie dicti is largely included in the southern Illyrian onomastic province in modern linguistics. The Illyrians emerged from the fusion of PIE-descended Yamnaya -related population movements ca. 2500 BCE in the Balkans with the pre-existing Balkan Neolithic population, initially forming "Proto-Illyrian" Bronze Age cultures in the Balkans. The proto-Illyrians during

4998-671: The Illyrians". Since the Middle Ages the term "Illyrian" has been used principally in connection with the Albanians , although it was also used to describe the western wing of the Southern Slavs up to the 19th century, being revived in particular during the Habsburg monarchy . In Byzantine literature, references to Illyria as a defined region in administrative terms end after 1204 and the term specifically began to refer only to

5100-694: The Illyricum of the Antonine era . However, the inclusion in his genealogy of the Enchelei and the Autariatae , whose political strength has been highly weakened, reflects a pre-Roman historical situation. Basically, ancient Greeks included in their mythological accounts all the peoples with whom they had close contacts. In Roman times, ancient Romans created more mythical or genealogical relations to include various new peoples, regardless of their large ethnic and cultural differences. Appian's genealogy lists

5202-462: The MBA-IA Velim Kosa tumuli of Liburni in Croatia (J-PH1602), and similar in LBA-IA Velika Gruda tumuli in Montenegro (J-Z2507 > J-Z1297 > J-Y21878). The oldest J-L283 (> J-Z597) sample in the study was found in MBA Shkrel , northern Albania as early as the 19th century BCE. In northern Albania, IA Çinamak, half of them men carried J-L283 (> J-Z622, J-Y21878) and the other half R-M269 (R-CTS1450, R-PF7563). The oldest sample in Çinamak dates to

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5304-458: The Middle/Late Bronze Age or at the beginning of the 8th century BC. According to the former hypothesis, the name was taken by traders from southern Greece from a small group of people on the coast, the Illyrioi / Illyrii (first mentioned by Pseudo-Skylax and later described by Pliny the Elder ), and thereafter applied to all of the people of the region; this has been explained by the substantial evidence of Minoan and Mycenaean contact in

5406-582: The Roman period, Illyricum , a term which signified a broader region than Illyria, was used for the area between the Adriatic and Danube . The prehistory of Illyria and the Illyrians is known from archaeological evidence. The Romans conquered the region in 168 BC in the aftermath of the Illyrian Wars . The earliest recorded Illyrian kingdom was that of the Enchele in the 8th century BC. The era in which we observe other Illyrian kingdoms begins approximately at 400 BC and ends at 167 BC. The Autariatae under Pleurias (337 BC) were considered to have been

5508-418: The affairs in the internal conflicts between aristocrats and democrats. The Taulantian kingdom seems to have reached its climax during Glaukias ' rule, in the years between 335 BC and 302 BC. The Illyrian kingdoms frequently came into conflicts with the neighbouring Ancient Macedonians , and the Illyrian pirates were also seen as significant threat to the neighbouring peoples. At the Neretva Delta , there

5610-414: The centres of the ancient Mediterranean to its periphery. The Messapic language is often considered either a dialect or sister language of Illyrian. However, the testimonies of Illyrian are too fragmentary to allow any conclusions. An extinct Indo-European language, Messapic was once spoken in Apulia in the southeastern Italian Peninsula by the three Iapygian tribes of the region: the Messapians ,

5712-453: The coast of the Mediterranean and Black Sea . Hecataeaus provides information about the people and places that would be encountered on a coastal voyage between these points, as well as the inhabitants of the various Mediterranean islands , the Scythians , Persia , India , Egypt and Nubia . Over 300 fragments of this work are preserved, mostly as citations for place names in the work of Stephanus of Byzantium . Hecataeus's other work

5814-515: The course of their settlement towards the Adriatic coast merged with such populations of a pre-Illyrian substratum – like Enchelei might have been – leading to the formation of the historical Illyrians who were attested in later times. It has been suggested that the myth of Cadmus and Harmonia may be a reflection in mythology of the end of the pre-Illyrian era in the southern Adriatic region as well as in those regions located north of Macedonia and Epirus. Older Pan-Illyrian theories which emerged in

5916-405: The earliest known peoples of Illyria in the group of the first generation, consisting mostly of southern Illyrian peoples firstly encountered by the Greeks, some of which were the Enchelei , the Taulantii , the Dassaretii and the Parthini . Some peoples that came to the Balkans at a later date such as the Scordisci are listed in the group that belongs to the third generation. The Scordisci were

6018-400: The early Roman Imperial period . Depending on the complexity of the diverse physical geography of the Balkans , arable farming and livestock (mixed farming) rearing had constituted the economic basis of the Illyrians during the Iron Age . In southern Illyria organized realms were formed earlier than in other areas of this region. One of the oldest known Illyrian kingdoms is that of

6120-440: The end of the 2nd century and beginning of the 3rd century CE, Illyrian populations had been highly integrated in the Roman Empire and formed a core population of its Balkan provinces. During the crisis of the Third Century and the establishment of the Dominate , a new elite faction of Illyrians who were part of the Roman army along the Pannonian and Danubian Limes rose in Roman politics. This faction produced many emperors from

6222-405: The eponymous ancestor of the Illyrians. A later version of the myth identifies Polyphemus and Galatea as parents of Celtus , Galas , and Illyrius . Ancient Greek writers used the name "Illyrian" to describe peoples between the Liburnians and Epirus . Fourth-century BC Greek writers clearly separated the people along the Adriatic coast from the Illyrians, and only in the 1st century AD

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6324-440: The fantasy series A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas . The fighting game series ' Guilty Gear ' created by Daisuke Ishiwatari , features a fictional Illyria in its world. The television series Angel (1999 TV series) has a character named Illyria who is a main character for the back half of the final season, as well as a prominent figure in the comic spin-offs. The character of Una "Number One" Chin-Riley in

6426-638: The first era of post-Yamnaya movements (EBA) and carries R-M269. Autosomally, Croatian Bronze Age samples from various sites, from Cetina valley and Bezdanjača Cave were "extremely similar in their ancestral makeup", while from Montenegro's Velika Gruda mainly had an admixture of "Anatolian Neolithic (~50%), Eastern European hunter-gatherer (~12%), and Balkan hunter-gatherer ancestry (~18%)". The oldest Balkan J-L283 samples have been found in final Early Bronze Age (ca. 1950 BCE) site of Mokrin in Serbia and about 100–150 years later in Shkrel, northern Albania. Aneli et al. 2022 based on samples from EIA Dalmatia argue that

6528-399: The geographic "Illyria": the Dauni , the Peuceti and Messapi (collectively known as Iapyges , and speaking the Messapic language ). The term "Illyrians" last appears in the historical record in the 7th century, referring to a Byzantine garrison operating within the former Roman province of Illyricum . What happened to the Illyrians after the settlement of the Slavs in the region

6630-413: The historical record after the Ottoman expansion into the Balkans in the 15th century, and re-emerges in the 17th century, acquiring a new significance in the Ottoman–Habsburg Wars , as Leopold I designated as the "Illyrian nation" the South Slavs in Hungarian territory. The term " Illyrian " was sometimes used for the language they spoke. Several armorials of the Early modern period, popularly called

6732-521: The historical territory where Illyrians lived (including tested Iapodian and Liburnian sites), almost all belonged to the patrilineal line J2b2a1-L283 (>J-PH1602 > J-Y86930 and >J-Z1297 subclades) with the exception of one R1b-L2 . The mtDNA haplogroups fell under various subclades of H, H1, H3b, H5, J1c2, J1c3, T2a1a, T2b, T2b23, U5a1g, U8b1b1, HV0e. In a three-way admixture model, they approximately had 49-59% EEF, 35-46% Steppe and 2-10% WHG-related ancestry. In Lazaridis et al. (2022) key parts of

6834-423: The hoplites. But the Illyrians, being on higher ground, and charging down on from it upon the Aetolian trrops formed up on the plain, routed them without difficulty. The Medionians joined the action by sallying out of the town and charging the Aetolians, thus, after killing a great number, and taking a still greater number prisoners, and becoming masters also of their arms and baggage, the Illyrians, having carried out

6936-508: The impact of the one language to the other developed because of the scarcity of available archaeological material. However, this did not occur at the same level on both sides, with the Illyrians being more willing to adopt the more prestigious Greek language. Ongoing research may provide further knowledge about these contacts beyond present limited sources. Illyrians were exposed not only to Doric and Epirote Greek but also to Attic-Ionic. The Illyrian languages were once thought to be connected to

7038-478: The increasing shift of the center of imperial politics from the city of Rome itself to the eastern provinces of the empire. The term Illyrians last appears in the historical record in the 7th century AD, in the Miracula Sancti Demetrii , referring to a Byzantine garrison operating within the former Roman province of Illyricum . However, in the acts of the Second Council of Nicaea from 787, Nikephoros of Durrës signed himself as "Episcopus of Durrës, province of

7140-403: The late 19th to the 21st century, has moved from Pan-Illyrian theories , which identified as Illyrian even groups north of the Balkans to more well-defined groupings based on Illyrian onomastics and material anthropology since the 1960s as newer inscriptions were found and sites excavated. There are two principal Illyrian onomastic areas: the southern and the Dalmatian-Pannonian, with the area of

7242-404: The late 3rd to the 6th century CE who are collectively known as the Illyrian Emperors and include the Constantinian , Valentinianic and Justinianic dynasties. Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius , a native of Sirmium , is usually recognized as the first Illyrian emperor in historiography. The rise of the Illyrian Emperors represents the rise of the role of the army in imperial politics and

7344-470: The late 6th and the early 5th century BC in fragments of Hecataeus of Miletus , the author of Genealogies ( Γενεαλογίαι ) and of Description of the Earth or Periegesis ( Περίοδος Γῆς or Περιήγησις ), where the Illyrians are described as a barbarian people. In the Macedonian history during the 6th and 5th century BC, the term Illyrian had a political meaning that was quite definite, denoting

7446-476: The legend of Cadmus and Harmonia —was recorded by Euripides and Strabo in accounts that would be presented in detail in Bibliotheca of Pseudo-Apollodorus (1st to 2nd century AD). The second version—which reports the legend of Polyphemus and Galatea —was recorded by Appian (1st–2nd century AD) in his Illyrike . According to the first version Illyrius was the son of Cadmus and Harmonia , whom

7548-405: The level ground, and with a portion of their cavalry and their light infantry they hastened to occupy some rising ground in front of their camp, which nature had made easily defensible. A single charge, however, of the Illyrians, whose numbers and close order gave them irresistible weight, served to dislodge the light-armed troops, and forced the cavalry who were on the ground with them to retire to

7650-407: The map of Anaximander , which he saw as a disc encircled by Oceanus . He was probably the first of the logographers to attempt a serious prose history and to employ critical method to distinguish myth from historical fact, though he accepts Homer and other poets as trustworthy authorities. Herodotus, though he contradicts his statements at least once, is indebted to Hecataeus for the concept of

7752-613: The more anciently known groups of Illyrian tribes—lived on the Adriatic coast of southern Illyria (modern Albania ), dominating at various times much of the plain between the Drin and the Aous , comprising the area around Epidamnus/Dyrrhachium . In the 7th century BC the Taulantii invoked the aid of Corcyra and Corinth in a war against the Liburni . After the defeat and expulsion from

7854-522: The more confined Albanian territory. The structure of Illyrian society during classical antiquity was characterised by a conglomeration of numerous tribes and small realms ruled by warrior elites, a situation similar to that in most other societies at that time. Thucidides in the History of the Peloponnesian War (5th century BC) addresses the social organisation of the Illyrian tribes via

7956-499: The most correct one. Appian's genealogy of tribes is not complete as he writes that other Illyrian tribes exist, which he has not included. According to Appian 's tradition, Polyphemus and Galatea gave birth to Celtus , Galas , and Illyrius , three brothers, progenitors respectively of Celts, Galatians and Illyrians. Illyrius had multiple sons: Encheleus , Autarieus , Dardanus, Maedus, Taulas and Perrhaebus , and daughters: Partho, Daortho, Dassaro and others. From these, sprang

8058-525: The north and Dalmatia in the south. Although this division occurred in 10 AD, the term Illyria remained in use in Late Latin and throughout the medieval period. After the division of the Roman Empire , the bishops of Thessalonica appointed papal vicars for Illyricum. The first of these vicars is said to have been Bishop Acholius or Ascholius (died 383 or 384), the friend of St. Basil . In

8160-502: The order that was usual in their own country, and advanced in their several companies against the Aetolian lines. The latter were overwhelmed with astonishment at the unexpected nature and boldness of the move; but they had long been inspired with overweening self-confidence, and having full reliance on their own forces were far from being dismayed. They drew up the greater part of their hoplites and cavalry in front of their own lines on

8262-457: The orders of Agron, conveyed their baggage and the rest of their booty to their boats and immediately set sail for their own country. He was succeeded by his wife Teuta , who assumed the regency for her stepson Pinnes following Agron's death in 231 BC. In his work The Histories , Polybius (2nd century BC) reported first diplomatic contacts between the Romans and Illyrians. In the Illyrian Wars of 229 BC, 219 BC and 168 BC, Rome overran

8364-443: The play Henry VI . An extensive history of Illyria by Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange , was published by Joseph Keglevich in 1746. Illyria is the setting for Jean-Paul Sartre 's Les Mains Sales . Lloyd Alexander 's The Illyrian Adventure is set in Illyria in 1872. John Hawkes ' 1970 novel The Blood Oranges is set in a fictionalized Illyria. There is a fictional Illyria with its inhabitants, winged fae, in

8466-596: The region of the Liburni, the Corcyreans founded in 627 BC on the Illyrian mainland a colony called Epidamnus , thought to have been the name of a barbarian king of the region. A flourishing commercial centre emerged and the city grew rapidly. The Taulantii continued to play an important role in Illyrian history between the 5th and 4th–3rd centuries BC, and in particular, in the history of Epidamnus, both as its neighbors and as part of its population. Notably they influenced

8568-464: The region that neighboured Macedonia and Epirus . In Roman times the terms Illyria / Illyris / Illyricum were extended from the territory that was roughly located in the area of the south-eastern Adriatic coast (modern Albania and Montenegro ) and its hinterland, to a broader region stretching between the whole eastern Adriatic and the Danube . From about mid-1st century BC the term Illyricum

8670-739: The rest of the Illyrians . The Illyrian kingdoms were composed of small areas within the region of Illyria. Only the Romans ruled the entire region. The internal organization of the south Illyrian kingdoms points to imitation of their neighbouring Greek kingdoms and influence from the Greek and Hellenistic world in the growth of their urban centres. Polybius gives as an image of society within an Illyrian kingdom as peasant infantry fought under aristocrats which he calls in Greek Polydynastae (Greek: Πολυδυνάστες) where each one controlled

8772-525: The satrapy of Lydia . He was active during the time of the Greco-Persian Wars . After having travelled extensively, he settled in his native city, where he occupied a high position, and devoted his time to the composition of geographical and historical works. When Aristagoras , acting tyrant of Miletus, held a council of leading Ionians at Miletus to organize a revolt against Persian rule, Hecataeus tried in vain to dissuade his countrymen from

8874-629: The second part of the 3rd century BC, a number of Illyrian tribes seem to have united to form a confederation stretching from the central part of present-day Albania up to Neretva river in Herzegovina . The political entity was financed on piracy and ruled from 250 BC by the king Agron . The Illyrian attack under Agron, against Aerolians mounted in either 232 or 231 BC, is described by Polybius: One hundred lembi with 5000 men on board sailed up to land at Medion. Dropping anchor at daybreak, they disembarked speedily and in secret. They then formed up in

8976-544: The social organisation of Illyrian tribes in earlier times than the era he lived in makes a distinction between three modes of social organisation. A part of the Illyrians were organized under hereditary kingdoms, a second part was organized under chieftains who were elected but held no hereditary power and some Illyrians were organised in autonomous communities governed by their own internal tribal laws. In these communities social stratification had not yet emerged. The history of Illyrian warfare and weaponry spanned from around

9078-424: The statues; since the generations of their high priests had numbered three hundred and forty-five, all mortal men, they refused to believe Hecataeus's claim of descent from a god. Historian James Shotwell has called this encounter with the antiquity of Egypt an influence on Hecataeus's scepticism: he recognized that oral history is untrustworthy. Besides his written works, Hecataeus is also credited with improving

9180-482: The television series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a member of a humanoid species called "Illyrians". Hecataeus of Miletus Hecataeus of Miletus ( / ˌ h ɛ k ə ˈ t iː ə s / ; Greek : Ἑκαταῖος ὁ Μιλήσιος ; c. 550 – c. 476 BC), son of Hegesander, was an early Greek historian and geographer . Hailing from a very wealthy family, he lived in Miletus , then under Persian rule in

9282-424: The term 'Illyrians' began to be used to describe the indigenous population of western Balkans cannot be said with certainty. Scholarly debates have been waged to find an answer to the question whether the term 'Illyrians' ( Ἰλλυριοί ) derived from some eponymous tribe, or whether it has been applied to designate the indigenous population as a general term for some other specific reason. Ancient Roman writers Pliny

9384-532: The territory of historical territory of Illyria were tested. In 18 samples from the Cetina culture, all males except for one (R-L51 > Z2118) carried Y-DNA haplogroup J-L283. Many of them could be further identified as J-L283 > Z597 (> J-Y15058 > J-Z38240 > J-PH1602). The majority of individuals carried mtDNA haplogroups J1c1 and H6a1a. The related Posušje culture yielded the same Y-DNA haplogroup (J-L283 > J-Z38240). The same J-L283 population appears in

9486-644: The undertaking. In 494 BC, when the defeated Ionians were obliged to sue for terms, he was one of the ambassadors to the Persian satrap Artaphernes , whom he persuaded to restore the constitution of the Ionic cities. Hecataeus is the first known Greek historian and was one of the first classical writers to mention the Celtic and Illyrian peoples. He is known as the "Father of Geography". Two works by Hecateus are known: Περίοδος γῆς ( Periodos ges , "Journey round

9588-502: The valley where the Illyrioi/Illyrii presumably lived. According to the latter hypothesis the label Illyrians was first used by outsiders, in particular Ancient Greeks ; this has been argued on the basis that when the Greeks began to frequent the eastern Adriatic coast with the colonization of Corcyra , they started to have some knowledge and perceptions of the indigenous peoples of western Balkans. It has been suggested that

9690-401: The western and central Balkans. After the defeat of the Great Illyrian Revolt and the consolidation of Roman power in the Balkans, the process of integration of Illyrians in the Roman world accelerated even further. Some Illyrian communities were organized in their pre-Roman locations under their own civitates . Others migrated or were forcefully resettled in different regions. Some groups like

9792-469: Was "Illyrian" used as a general term for all the peoples across the Adriatic. Writers also spoke of "Illyrians in the strict sense of the word"; Pomponius Mela (43 AD) the stricto sensu Illyrians lived north of the Taulantii and Enchele , on the Adriatic shore; Pliny the Elder used "properly named Illyrians" ( Illyrii proprii/proprie dicti ) for a small people south of Epidaurum , or between Epidaurum (now Cavtat ) and Lissus (now Lezhë ). In

9894-405: Was a book on mythography in four books. Less than forty fragments remain. He applied a more skeptical approach to the traditions of families who claimed to be descended from gods. One fragment that has survived is the opening "Hecataeus of Miletus thus speaks: I write what I deem true; for the stories of the Greeks are manifold and seem to me ridiculous." Herodotus (II, 143) tells a story of

9996-520: Was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by numerous tribes of people collectively known as the Illyrians . The Ancient Greeks initially used the term Illyris to define approximately the area of northern and central Albania down to the Aoös valley (modern Vjosa ) and the Bay of Vlorë , including in most periods much of the lakeland area ( Ohrid and Prespa ). It corresponded to

10098-501: Was a strong Hellenistic influence on the Illyrian tribe of Daors . Their capital was Daorson located in Ošanići near Stolac in Herzegovina , which became the main center of classical Illyrian culture. Daorson, during the 4th century BC, was surrounded by megalithic , 5 meter high stonewalls, composed out of large trapeze stones blocks. Daors also made unique bronze coins and sculptures. The Illyrians even conquered Greek colonies on

10200-558: Was centered in the Bay of Kotor and Lake Skadar . According to other modern scholars, the term Illyrii may have originally referred only to a small ethnos in the area between Epidaurum and Lissus , and Pliny and Mela may have followed a literary tradition that dates back as early as Hecataeus of Miletus . Placed in central Albania, the Illyrii proprie dicti also might have been Rome's first contact with Illyrian peoples. In that case, it did not indicate an original area from which

10302-608: Was roughly located in the region of the south-eastern Adriatic (modern Albania and Montenegro ) and its hinterland, then was later extended to the whole Roman Illyricum province, which stretched from the eastern Adriatic to the Danube . After the Illyrians had come to be widely known to the Greeks due to their proximity, this ethnic designation was broadened to include other peoples who, for some reason, were considered by ancient writers to be related with those peoples originally designated as Illyrians ( Ἰλλυριοί , Illyrioi ). The original designation may have occurred either during

10404-468: Was used by the Romans for the province of the Empire that stretched along the eastern Adriatic coast north of the Drin river , south of which the Roman province of Macedonia began including the southern part of the traditional region of Illyria. In Greek mythology , the name of Illyria is aetiologically traced to Illyrius , the son of Cadmus and Harmonia , who eventually ruled Illyria and became

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