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43-694: One of the main strongholds of the Labeatai , the earliest of the fortification walls of Lezhë are of typical Illyrian construction and are dated to the late 4th century BC. Lezhë was one of the main centres of the Illyrian kingdom . During the conflicts with Macedon , it was captured by Philip V becoming the Macedonian outlet to the Adriatic Sea . The city was later recovered by the Illyrians. It

86-405: A Syracusan foundation. Except Diodorus' account there is nothing to connect Lissos with Syracuse, and according to Pierre Cabanes even if Diodorus' account is accepted as accurate, it is very likely that this colony had a short life. The earliest of the fortification walls of the proto-urban settlement are of typical Illyrian construction and are dated to the late 4th century BC. The transition from

129-457: A new system of coinage in the territory of his political entity. He allowed to mint coins to the cities of Skodra , Lissus , Rhizon and Lychnidus , allowing it also to the Labeatae and Daorsi , two of the most important Illyrian ethnics of the region at that time. This system considerably expanded the circulation of coins reaching even the deepest areas of the kingdom. Gentius centralized

172-518: A protector animal. The Labeates minted coins around the 2nd century BC. Coins bearing the inscription of the ethnicon ΛΑΒΙΑΤΑΝ ( LABIATAN ) have been found in northern Albania . Illyrian light ships ( lembus , pl. lembi ) are often engraved on Labeatan coins, sometimes depicted with figureheads of serpents. During his reign, the Illyrian king Gentius adopted economic measures which are well testified by archaeological finds. He developed

215-605: A ruler of a territory around Lezhë in 1319. He had the title of Count of Dioclea and of the seaside Albania . At the end of the 14th century, Albanian lord Dhimitër Jonima was lord of a territory between Mat and Lezhë. In the Middle Ages, Lezha (known in Italian as Alessio) frequently changed masters until the Venetians took possession of it in 1386. It still belonged to them when Skanderbeg died, but In 1478 it fell into

258-518: A strategy by Dionysius to secure Syracusan trade routes along the Adriatic . Diodorus calls it a polis . It has been suggested that the Syracusan colony mentioned by Diodorus was in fact more likely established at Issa near the island of Pharos , not at Lissus (modern Lezhë) which was too distant for the events described by the ancient historian. Meanwhile, Issa is known from other evidence to be

301-473: A very similar belt was found also in the necropolis of Gostilj near the Lake Scutari in the territory of the Labeatae, indicating a common hero-cult practice in those regions. Modern scholars suggest that the iconographic representation of the same mythological event includes the Illyrian cults of the serpent , of Cadmus , and of the horseman , the latter being a common Paleo-Balkan hero. The cult of

344-524: A well defined territory of the Shkodra region, which was referred in historical sources to as 'the tribe of the Labeatae' in later times. The number of fortified settlements throughout the Shkodra basin increased at the beginning of the Iron Age, and the proceeding of social and economic diversification occurred in the area. Remarkable examples are the fortified settlement on the site of Gajtan, along with

387-612: Is found on coin inscriptions of the Hellenistic era. It is considered a Greek toponym, deriving from the Greek λισσός'lissós , meaning 'smooth, smooth rock, gruff'. The ancient name Lissus evolved into its modern form Lezhë (archaic: Lesh ) through Albanian sound changes. In Turkish , the town is known as Leş or Eşim and in Italian as Alessio . Lezhë is also known as Alise , Alexiensis , Eschenderari , or Mrtav . From

430-728: Is functional but not frequently. The main highway in Lezhe is SH 1 , connecting it with Shkodër to the north and the Durrës-Kukës Highway (A1, intersection at Milot ) to the south. The SH32 connects Lezhe with Shëngjin on the coast. The population of the municipality of Lezhë as of the 2023 census is 51,354, of which 14,687in the city proper. The association football club is KS Besëlidhja Lezhë . Although primarily concerned with football and basketball , KS Besëlidhja also participates in sports such as wrestling and beach volleyball . From 2004 an excavation started around

473-521: The Aetolian League , and the Illyrians attacked in their typical manner. Demetrius and Scerdilaidas sailed with 90 lembi south of Lissus. When they failed an assault on Pylos (western Peloponnese ), they separated their fleets and Scerdilaidas returned north with 40 ships, while Demetrius plundered the Cyclades with 50 ships. In Roman times Lissus was located in a territory inhabited by

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516-837: The Albanian princes in the fight against the Ottoman Empire . Skanderbeg was buried in the cathedral of Lezhë which was dedicated to Saint Nicholas and later used as Selimie Mosque . Today Lezhë is a growing city. Its proximity to the port of Shëngjin as well as its location on the national road between the Montenegrin border to the North and Tirana to the South makes it an attractive location for industry and business. Lezhë Municipality lies within Lezhë County as part of

559-455: The Labeatae , however ancient sources never relate it with this tribe. Taking in account archaeological and historical considerations, the city of Lissus should have been founded in a Labeatan context, but perhaps by the time of Teuta's fall in the end of the 3rd century BC, on a Greek model it was organized as a polis turning away from its ethnic context. The dissociation from the ethnic to

602-741: The Northern Region of Albania and consists of the adjacent administrative units of Balldren , Blinisht , Dajç , Kallmet , Kolsh , Shëngjin , Shënkoll , Ungrej , Zejmen with Lezhë constituting the municipal seat. The municipality spans between the Plain of Zadrima in the north, the Pukë-Mirditë Highlands in the east, the mouth of the Mat River in the south and the Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast in

645-521: The polis coincided with Philip V of Macedon 's conquest of a number of cities in Illyria. In 211 BC, Philip V captured Acrolissus, the citadel of Lissus , and Lissos surrendered to him, becoming the Macedonian outlet to the Adriatic Sea . The town was later recovered by the Illyrians. It was in Lissus that Perseus of Macedon negotiated an alliance against Rome with the Illyrian king Gentius , and it

688-526: The 8th century BC, and was located near the mouth of the Drin river . In antiquity the area was described as the territory of the Illyrii tribe (the "Illyrians proper"; Ancient Greek : Ἰλλυριοί , Illyrioi ; Latin : Illyrii or Illyrii propriae dicti ). Diodorus ("Library", 15.1, c. 1st century BC) mentions that Dionysius of Syracuse founded a "city called Lissos " in the year 385 BC, as part of

731-451: The Iron Age fortification of Acrolissus (on the 413 m Shëlbuem mountain) to the proper Illyrian city of Lissus was continuous. The city was built on a lower hill (172 m) near the Iron Age fortification. It was surrounded by ramparts that faced the low valley of the Drin river and the sea coast. Its function was to guard the route inland, to ensure defense against possible attacks from

774-571: The Labeatae and referring to the Lake Shkodra as Lacus Labeatium . The core of the Labeatan territory must therefore have been the area around this lake. The Labeatan king Genthius was also in possession of Rhizon , the capital of the Ardiaean kingdom . In the description of the place where the envoy of Gentius and Perseus met in 168 BC, Polybius ( c. 2nd century BC) reports that

817-525: The Romans. Meteon can be considered as the northern border of Labeatan territory, beyond which Docleatan territory began encompassing the area between the rivers Zeta and Morača . In the west the territory of Labeatae was bordered by the Adriatic Sea , its eastern border was presumably marked by the Accursed Mountains . The southern border may be considered the site of Lissus at the mouth of

860-545: The ancient Acropolis of Lissos and the Skanderbeg Memorial, which revealed Hellenistic, Roman and Early Byzantine buildings, tombs and other findings. Labeatae The Labeatae , Labeatai or Labeates ( Ancient Greek : Λαβεᾶται ; Latin : Labeatae ) were an Illyrian people that lived on the Adriatic coast of southern Illyria , between modern Albania and Montenegro , around Lake Scodra (the ancient Lacus Labeatis ). Their territory, which

903-580: The cemeteries in Shtoj and Shkrel. In Grunas, in the deep mountainous valley of the Shala river in the Dukagjin Highlands , a fortified community has been discovered, dating back to the 11th–8th centuries BC. These fortifications shed new lights on the history of the Illyrian people , and in particular of the inhabitants of the Shkodra region where a politically complex society emerged. In this region

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946-437: The city of Skodra, and transformed the mint of Skodra's koinon into a royal mint. Gentius allowed other communities like Lissus, Labeatae and Daorsi to mint coins with the names of their koinon or ethnos , but nevertheless obliged them to respect the state standard, that was to engrave in the coins the portrait of the king and the Illyrian light ships. In addition, the coins of all these political entities had to respect

989-564: The city was part of the province of Epirus Nova , During the reign of Justinian I (527-565) the local fortress was possibly mentioned as Alistion in the Synecdemus of Hierocles . At early 590s Lissus was captured by Slavic populations. Byzantine control was re-established during the early 9th century. Albanian lord Vladislav Jonima of the Jonima family was acknowledged by the Pope as

1032-469: The coastline or vice versa. Unlike other Illyrian tribes, the extent of the territory of the Labeatae can be determined with relative precision through some important literary informations from ancient sources. In the accounts of the Roman-Illyrian war involving Gentius , Livy ( c. 1st century BC – 1st century AD) described the location of Skodra reporting that the Illyrian king was ruler of

1075-533: The common Illyrian suffix -at(ae) . The Lab- particle represents a metathesis from Alb- > Lab- , which itself could be related to the appearance of the ethnonym of the Albanians in the same area. It is present in hydronyms like the Llapi river and toponyms like Llapashticë along the later Roman route from Lissus to Ulpiana and indicates the movement of Illyrian tribes from the interior of Illyria to

1118-593: The early Mycenaean period (1600-1450 BC) a free exchange pattern is confirmed with the centres of Mycenaean Greece as seen by various swords (C and D type) unearthed in Lezhë. The earliest human constructions have an Illyrian character and appear on the site from the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age . The settlement with its fortifications was built on a 413-metre-high mountain, the Mal i Shëlbuemit , from at least

1161-598: The hands of Turks during the siege of Shkodra , except for a short period (1501–1506) when it returned to Venetian domination. Because it was under the Venetian control, it was chosen in 1444 by Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg as a neutral place for the convention of Albanian nobles and lords of the area aiming at organizing their common defence against the Turks. Lezha was the site of the League of Lezhë where Skanderbeg united

1204-606: The last Illyrian kings ( Scerdilaidas , Pleuratus , Gentius ) was Labeatan. It is possible that the decline of the Ardiaean dynasty after Queen Teuta 's defeat in the First Illyrian War against Rome caused the emergence of the Labeatan dynasty on the political scene. In Roman times the Labeatae minted coins bearing the inscription of their ethnicon . The name is attested for the first time in The Histories by Polybius (2nd century BC), who mentioned

1247-596: The only navigable rivers in antiquity were Buna and Drin. After the Roman conquest of southern Illyria , the territory of the Illyrian realm of Gentius was separated into three parts. One of these areas coincided with the Labeatan region. By the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age ( c. 1100–800 BC), the formation of a large, cohesive, and quite homogeneous cultural group had already occurred in

1290-443: The population practiced seasonal transhumance , built mountain fortifications and terraces , and defended a key trade route across an isolated harsh territory. There evidently emerged a social stratum of merchants and artisans . The idiom spoken by the tribe of Labeatae belonged to the southeastern Illyrian linguistic area. Several cult-objects with similar features are found in different Illyrian regions, including

1333-421: The production of the coins, interrupting the old minting of Skodra, and starting the production of new coins, which, instead of the engraving of Zeus, adopted the portrait of the king, while on the reverse continued bearing the typical engraving of the Illyrian ship ( lembus ), but the name of the king was engraved on them instead of the legend of the city. Thus Gentius had evidently removed monetary autonomy from

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1376-484: The region Λαβεᾶτις Labeatis . Livy in his Ab Urbe Condita Libri mentioned several times the tribal name Labeatae , the region Labeatis and palus Labeatis/lacus Labeatum ( Lake Scodra ). Coins bearing the inscription of the ethnicon ΛΑΒΙΑΤΑΝ have been found in northern Albania . The name of the Labeatae is formed by the Lab- particle which is frequently found in the southern Illyrian onomastic area and

1419-461: The river Drin , or further south the mouth of the river Mat , beyond which stretched the region of the Taulantii . In Roman times Lissus was located in the territory of the Labeatae, however ancient sources never relate it with this tribe. Taking into account archaeological and historical considerations, the city of Lissus should have been founded in a Labeatan ethnos context, but perhaps by

1462-428: The sea, and to furnish a secure anchorage for the Illyrian ships. By the 3rd century BC, Lissus was one of the main cities of the Illyrian kingdom under the Ardiaean and Labeatan dynasties. In the 228 BC peace treaty with Rome, the Illyrian queen Teuta promised not to sail south of Lissus at the mouth of the Drin river with more than two lembi (Illyrian light ships), even those had to be unarmed. But when Rome

1505-402: The serpent among the Labeatae is reflected also on their coinage: ships depicted with figureheads of serpents are often engraved on Labeatan coins. The serpents depicted on ships were related to the beliefs of the sailors that these animal totems would have safeguarded them from storms and enemies. The serpent was a powerful symbol among southern Illyrians, who attributed it an important role as

1548-522: The site of Meteon was located in the territory of the Labeatae. It was there that the Illyrian and Macedonian kings established an alliance against the Romans . Livy mentions Meteon as a "city of the Labeates", where at the end of the war Gentius' wife Etleuta , their two sons, and Gentius' brother Caravantius took refuge, implying that this city belonged to Labeatan territory until it was conquered by

1591-588: The territory of the Illyrian tribes of Labeatae, Dassaretii , Daorsi , and comprising also the Iapodes . In particular, a 3rd century BC silvered bronze belt buckle , found inside the Illyrian Tombs of Selca e Poshtme near the western shore of Lake Lychnidus in Dassaretan territory, depicts a scene of warriors and horsemen in combat, with a giant serpent as a protector totem of one of the horsemen;

1634-404: The time of queen Teuta 's fall in the end of the 3rd century BC, it was organized as a proper polis separating from the context of the ethnos . The territory of the Labeatae comprised a number of relevant rivers, including Drin ( Oriund ), Buna ( Barbana ), Kiri ( Klausali ) and Morača , and the alluvial plains surrounding the Lake Shkodra ( Lacus or Palus Labeatis ). However,

1677-576: The west. It covers 509.1 km. As of the Köppen climate classification , Lezhë falls under the periphery of the hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Csa) zone with an average annual temperature of 14.6 °C (58.3 °F). There are urban buses throughout the city and international and national buses. Lezhe has a train station not far from the center. The line starts in Durrës and ends in Shkodër . It

1720-467: Was called Labeatis in classical antiquity, seems to have stretched from Lissus at the river Drin in the south, or probably even from the valley of Mat , up to Meteon in the north. Their centre and main stronghold was Skodra , which during the last period of the Illyrian kingdom was the capital city . The Labeatan kingdom was also in possession of Rhizon , the Ardiean capital. The dynasty of

1763-697: Was engaged in a war against the Celtic peoples of the Po Valley in northern Italy about the years 225–222 BC, Illyrian commander Demetrius detached the Atintani tribe from their alliance with Rome. Moreover, he sailed south of Lissus and engaged in piracy in violation of the 228 BC peace treaty. In the summer of 221 BC, tensions in Greece increased as Macedonia allied with the Achaean League against

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1806-519: Was from Lissus that Gentius organized his army against the Romans. Lissus maintained a large degree of municipal autonomy under both Macedonian and Illyrian rule, as evidenced by the coins minted there. During the reign of Gentius in the first half of the 2nd century BC, Lissus minted coins for the Illyrian ruler. The city was of some importance in the Roman Civil War, being taken by Marc Antony and then remaining loyal to Caesar. In Roman times,

1849-428: Was subjected to Rome after the Roman-Illyrian wars and the fall of Gentius ' realm. Lezhë was the site of the League of Lezhë where Skanderbeg united the Albanian lords in the fight against the Ottoman Empire . The city is mentioned in ancient sources as Lissós ( Ancient Greek : Λισσός) and Lissus ( Latin : Lissus , Lissum ). It is also attested in numismatic material. The ethnicon ΛΙΣΣΙΤΑΝ Lissitan

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