The Triballi ( Ancient Greek : Τριβαλλοί , romanized : Triballoí , Latin : Triballi ) were an ancient people who lived in northern Bulgaria in the region of Roman Oescus up to southeastern Serbia , possibly near the territory of the Morava Valley in the late Iron Age. The Triballi lived between Thracians to the east, Illyrians the west and Celts to the north and were influenced by them. As such in contemporary sources, they are variably described as an independent, Thracian, Illyrian or Celtic tribe. Strabo considered the Triballi as a Thracian people. Most ancient sources considered the Triballi as Thracians, while some regarded them as Illyrians.
58-668: As an existing people, the Triballi are mentioned for the last time by Roman historian Appian (2nd century CE). According to Appian, the Triballi were reduced in numbers through their wars against the Scordisci and fled among the Getae , north of the Danube before they went extinct as a distinct people. The Triballi ( Ancient Greek : Τριβαλλοί , romanized : Triballoí ) are mentioned first in history by ancient Greek authors of
116-640: A Triballian area which in reality is undeterminable via available data. In turn, archaeologists of that era in Yugoslavia began to categorize all finds in the area defined as Triballian by Papazoglu as artifacts of the Triballi tribe. Based on Papazoglu, a periodization of Triballian finds was proposed: Proto-Triballian (1300–800 BC), Early Triballian (800–600 BC), Triballian (600–335 BC) and period from 335 BC until Roman conquest. The term "Triballians" appears frequently in Byzantine and other European works of
174-478: A perfunctory explanation of historic events. The Roman author Velleius ' history examines Roman history from the city's foundation until AD 29. This history is more detailed in the late Republic and early Empire period, while the earlier history is condensed. The Epitome of Roman History by Florus , also covers Roman history from mythical times until the 5th century AD in an extremely condensed format. The history of Diodorus of Sicily also covers Roman history until
232-509: Is one of the few primary historical sources for the period. Appian began writing his history around the middle of the second century AD. Only sections from half of the original 24 books survive today of a much larger history known as The Roman History , namely books 6-7, much of 8, 9, and 11, and 12-17 (only fragments of books 1-5 and of the remainder of 8 and 9 are preserved, while books 10 and 18-24 are lost entirely). The section of this history known as The Civil Wars comprises books 13–17 of
290-542: Is recalled in one of Stefan Lazarević 's personal Seals, according to the paper Сабор у Констанци . Pavao Ritter Vitezović also depicts "Triballia" with the same motif in 1701 and Hristofor Zhefarovich again in 1741. Marin Barleti (1450–1513), wrote in his biography of Skanderbeg (published between 1508 and 1510), that father of Skanderbeg's mother Voisava was a "Triballian nobleman" ( pater nobilissimus Triballorum princeps ). In another chapter, when talking about
348-580: Is used as a synonym for Bulgarians. In Romania , "Tribalia" refers to the Timok Valley region split between Serbia and Bulgaria in which the Romanian-speaking Vlachs live. Appian Appian of Alexandria ( / ˈ æ p i ə n / ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ἀππιανὸς Ἀλεξανδρεύς , translit. Appianòs Alexandreús ; Latin : Appianus Alexandrinus ; c. 95 – c. AD 165 )
406-599: The Avar–Byzantine wars . Moesia was settled by Slavs during the 7th century. Bulgars , arriving from Old Great Bulgaria , conquered Lower Moesia by the end of the 7th century. During the 8th century the Byzantine Empire lost also Upper Moesian territory to the First Bulgarian Empire . . The region would return to Byzantine control under Basil II in 1018 and would last until the formation of
464-920: The Carpi sacked Histria and Tropaeum Traiani. Afterwards Moesia was frequently invaded or raided by the Dacian Carpi , and the East Germanic tribes of the Goths . In the Gothic War (248–253) , the Gothic king Cniva captured the city of Philippopolis and then inflicted a devastating defeat upon the Romans at the Battle of Abrittus , in which the Roman Emperor Decius was killed, one of
522-529: The Classical period : by Aristophanes in his play Birds (414 BC) in which Triballos, a barbarian Triballian god of Thrace, accompanies Poseidon and Herakles as a diplomatic embassy, who are quite starving, meant to persuade the play's hero, Peisetairos, to end his blockade ( Nephelokokkygia ) preventing sacrifices – the sustenance of gods – from reaching them on Olympos ; by Aristotle and Demosthenes , both of whom lived in
580-543: The Getae , however, induced the Triballi to sue for peace. About 279 BC, a host of Gauls ( Scordisci ) under Cerethrius defeated the Triballi with an army of 3,000 horsemen and 15,000 foot soldiers. The defeat pushed the Triballi further to the east. Nevertheless, they continued to cause trouble to the Roman governors of Macedonia for fifty years (135 BC–84 BC). Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) registers them as one of
638-467: The Odrysae , who was defeated and lost his life in the engagement. They were pushed to the east by the invading Autariatae , an Illyrian tribe; the date of this event is uncertain. In 376 BC, a large band of Triballi under King Hales crossed Mount Haemus and advanced as far as Abdera ; they had backing from Maroneia and were preparing to besiege the city when Chabrias appeared off the coast, with
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#1732772590971696-538: The Roman History , concern mainly the end of the Roman Republic and take a conflict-based view and approach to history. Despite the lack of cited sources for his works, these books of the Roman History are the only extant comprehensive description of these momentous decades of Roman history. The other extant work of Appian is his "The Foreign Wars", which includes an ethnographic style history recounting
754-505: The Roman conquest . Parts of Moesia belonged to the polity of Burebista , a Getae (Dacian) king who established his rule over a large part of the northern Balkans between 82 BC and 44 BC. He led raids for plunder and conquest across Central and Southeastern Europe, subjugating most of the neighbouring tribes. After his assassination in a palace intrigue , the empire was divided into several smaller states. In 74 BC, C. Scribonius Curio , proconsul of Macedonia , took an army as far as
812-646: The Seleucid Empire (book 11), and the Mithridatic Wars (book 12). Several small fragments also survive, describing the early Roman kingdom (book 1) and the wars against the central Italians (book 2), Samnites (book 3), Illyrians (book 9), Macedonians (book 9), Numidians (book 8), and the Gauls (book 4). Especially notable is this work's ethnographic structure. Appian most likely used this structure to facilitate his readers' orientation through
870-561: The Spolia opima and use of the term imperator apparently in favour of his own prestige. Moesia was split off as a separate military command some time before 10 BC. As a result of the Dacians constant looting that occurred whenever the Danube froze, Augustus decided to send against them some of his proven generals such as Sextus Aelius Catus and Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Augur (sometime between 1-11 AD ). Lentulus pushed them back across
928-477: The battle of Actium , he took up Caesar's project and aimed to advance the empire's south-eastern European border from Macedonia to the line of the Danube. The main objective was to increase strategic depth between the border and Italy and also to provide a major river supply route between the Roman armies in the region. The lower Danube was given priority over the upper Danube and required the annexation of Moesia. It
986-571: The triumvir was appointed for the task. He was an experienced general at 33 years of age, and proconsul of Macedonia from 29 BC. After a successful campaign against the Moesi, he drove the Bastarnae back toward the Danube and finally defeated them in pitched battle, killing their King Deldo in single combat. Augustus formally proclaimed this victory in 27 BC in Rome but blocked Cassius' entitlement to
1044-400: The 4th century BC. Among ancient Greeks, the Triballi had a reputation of being a "wild people" and Greek authors write in a similar vein about them. Aristotle writes that among the Triballi "it is honorable to sacrifice one’s life in a battle", while Demosthenes notes the gangs of "lawless youths" of ancient Athens were known as Triballoi . In 424 BC, they were attacked by Sitalkes , king of
1102-582: The Athenian fleet, and organized a reconciliation. In 339 BC, when Philip II of Macedon was returning from his expedition against the Scythians , the Triballi refused to allow him to pass the Haemus unless they received a share of the booty. Hostilities took place, in which Philip was defeated and wounded by a spear in his right thigh, but the Triballi appear to have been subsequently subdued by him. After
1160-610: The Dacians favourable terms, in exchange for which Roman suzerainty was recognised. However, Emperor Trajan restarted the conflicts in 101-102 and then again in 105–106, which ended with the annexation of most of Dacia and its reorganisation as a Roman Province. The first incursion in Moesia that can be attributed to Goths is by the Costoboci in 170 in the Marcomannic Wars when they destroyed Tropaeum Traiani . In 238
1218-484: The Danube and chased the Geto-Dacians to the border of their remote country. The expansion of the Dacians on the middle and lower reaches of the Danube worried the Romans and destruction of Dacian power became one of Julius Caesar 's key political objectives, who made plans to launch an offensive from Macedonia in about 44 BC. Once Augustus had established himself as sole ruler of the Roman state in 30 BC after
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#17327725909711276-461: The Danube and placed numerous garrisons on the right bank of the river to defend against possible and future incursions. These became the Moesian Limes frontier defensive system that was developed further later. The region, however, was not organised as a province until the last years of Augustus ' reign; in 6 AD, mention is made of its governor, Caecina Severus . As a province, Moesia
1334-567: The Danube during the reign of Valens (376) and with his permission settled in Moesia. After they settled, quarrels soon took place, and the Goths under Fritigern defeated Valens in a great battle near Adrianople . These Goths are known as Moeso-Goths , for whom Ulfilas made the Gothic translation of the Bible . The Slavs allied with the Avars invaded and destroyed much of Moesia in 583–587 in
1392-543: The Danubian island of Peukê , where most of the remnants of the defeated Thracians were exiled. The successful Macedonian attacks terrorized the tribes around the Danube; the autonomous Thracian tribes sent tributes for peace, Alexander was satisfied with his operations and accepted peace because of his greater wars in Asia. They were attacked by Autariatae and Celts in 295 BC. The punishment inflicted by Ptolemy Keraunos on
1450-579: The Gallic Wars, but his history becomes fragmentary after around 300 BC. Another work of Appian's history which still survives mostly extant is called The Foreign Wars . This history describes the wars the Romans fought against other cultures throughout their history. The mostly extant work narrates the wars in Spain (book 6), the Punic Wars in both Italy and Africa (books 7 and 8), the wars against
1508-593: The Middle Ages, referring to Serbs , as the Byzantines sought to create an ancient name for the Serbs. Some of these authors clearly explain that "Triballian" is synonym to "Serbian". For example, Niketas Choniates (or Acominatus, 1155–1215 or-16) in his history about Emperor Ioannes Komnenos: " ... Shortly after this, he campaigned against the nation of Triballians (whom someone may call Serbians as well) ... " or
1566-462: The Moesian provinces were reorganised. Moesia Superior was divided in two, northern part forming the province of Moesia Prima including cities Viminacium and Singidunum , while the southern part was organised as the new province of Dardania with cities Scupi and Ulpiana . At the same time, Moesia Inferior was divided into Moesia Secunda and Scythia Minor . As a frontier province, Moesia
1624-402: The Serbs and the Triballi, nor does it fabricate a cultural continuity between the two. Tribals and Tribalia are often identified in a historical context with Serbs and Serbia, as these interpretations refer only to Laonikos Chalkokondyles of the 15th century, who often resorted to archaisms in his historical writings that have come down to us (Mizi, Illyrians, etc.) to indicate the subjects of
1682-587: The capital of Roman Egypt. Since his parents were Roman citizens capable of paying for their son's education, it can be inferred that Appian belonged to the wealthy upper classes. It is believed that Appian moved to Rome in 120, where he became a lawyer . In the introduction to his Roman History, he boasts "that he pleaded cases in Rome before the emperors." The emperors he claims to have addressed must have been either Hadrian or Marcus Aurelius and definitely Antoninus Pius, for Appian remained in Egypt at least until
1740-546: The constant Dacian threat on Moesia and also by the increasing need for resources of the economy of the Empire. Starting with AD 85, Dacia was unified under King Decebalus . Following an incursion into Moesia, which resulted in the death of its governor, Gaius Oppius Sabinus , a series of conflicts between the Romans and Dacians ensued. Although the Romans gained a major strategic victory at Tapae in AD 88, Emperor Domitian offered
1798-700: The death of Philip, Alexander the Great passed through the lands of the Odrysians in 335-334 BC, crossed the Haemus ranges and after three encounters ( Battle of Haemus , Battle at Lyginus River , Battle at Peuce Island ) defeated and drove the Triballians to the junction of the Lyginus at the Danube . 3,000 Triballi were killed, the rest fled. Their king Syrmus ( eponymous to Roman Sirmium ) took refuge on
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1856-466: The end of the reign of Trajan (117). In the letter of Cornelius Fronto, it is revealed that a request on behalf of Appian to receive the rank of procurator occurred during the co-regency of Marcus Aurelius and his brother Lucius Verus between 147 and 161. Although Appian won this office, it is unclear whether it was a real job or an honorific title. The only other certain biographical datum is that Appian's Roman History appeared sometime before 162. This
1914-489: The ensuing civil and military strife. Besides Appian, this period is also covered by a handful of ancient authors with varying degrees of detail and viewpoints. The commentaries of Julius Caesar record his personal, mainly military, observations of the Gallic Wars . Plutarch 's Roman biographies sketch the lives of the major leaders of the late Republican period, recording events Plutarch thought interesting and give only
1972-532: The history of the Empire up to the reign of Trajan , book 23 covered Trajan's wars against the Dacians , the Jews , and the Parthians , and book 24 described his annexation of Arabia Petraea . One might expect that a historical work covering nine centuries and countless different peoples would involve a multitude of sources from different periods. However, Appian's sources remain uncertain, as he only mentions
2030-644: The imperial treasury). It was in 147 at the earliest that he was appointed to the office of procurator , probably in Egypt, on the recommendation of his friend Marcus Cornelius Fronto , an influential rhetorician and advocate. Because the position of procurator was open only to members of the equestrian order (the "knightly" class), his possession of this office tells us about Appian's family background. His principal surviving work (Ρωμαϊκά Romaiká , known in Latin as Historia Romana and in English as Roman History )
2088-498: The individual rulers, without attaching ethnic meaning to their content. Marin Barleti (1450–1513), wrote in his biography of Skanderbeg (published between 1508 and 1510), that father of Skanderbeg's mother Voisava was a "Triballian nobleman" ( pater nobilissimus Triballorum princeps ). In another chapter, when talking about the inhabitants of Upper Debar that defended Svetigrad, he calls them "Bulgarians or Triballi" ( Bulgari sive Tribali habitant ). In Barleti's work Triballian
2146-666: The inhabitants of Upper Debar that defended Svetigrad, he calls them "Bulgarians or Triballi" ( Bulgari sive Tribali habitant ). With the beginning of the First Serbian Uprising , the Parliament adopted the Serbian coat of arms in 1805, their official seal depicted the heraldic emblems of Serbia and Tribalia. Even though the two names were used as synonyms by some Byzantine sources and certain heraldic inheritance, Serbian official historiography does not equalate
2204-682: The last time during the reign of Diocletian , who dates a letter from Triballis . The research of the Triballi began with Fanula Papazoglu 's book The Central Balkan Tribes in Pre-Roman Times (1968 in Serbian, 1978 in English). Other historians and archaeologists who wrote on the Triballi include Milutin Garašanin [ sr ] , Dragoslav Srejović , Nikola Tasić, Rastko Vasić, Miloš Jevtić and, especially, Milorad Stojić ( Tribali u arheologiji i istorijskim izvorima , 2017). Based on
2262-443: The most disastrous defeats in the history of the Roman army. After the abandonment of Roman Dacia to the Goths by Aurelian (270–275) and the transfer of the Roman citizens from the former province to the south of the Danube, the central portion of Moesia took the name of Dacia Aureliana (later divided into Dacia Ripensis and Dacia Mediterranea ). During administrative reforms of Emperor Diocletian (284–305), both of
2320-582: The much later Demetrios Chalkokondyles (1423–1511), referring to an Islamized Christian noble: "... This Mahmud, son of Michael, is Triballian, which means Serbian, by his mother, and Greek by his father." or Mehmed the Conqueror when referring to the plundering of Serbia. Mihailo Vojislavljević succeeded as Knez of " Duklja " in 1046, or as his realm was called by contemporary Cedrenus : "Triballorum ac Serborum principatum" . According to George Kedrenos (fl. 1050s) and John Skylitzes (fl. 1057), he
2378-534: The original 24 of the Roman History . This history narrates the history of the Romans from the time of the Gracchan tribunates , through the civil wars of Marius , Sulla , Caesar and Pompey , to break off in the time of the Second Triumvirate . These five books stand out because they are one of the few comprehensive histories available on the transition of the Roman state from Republic to Empire and
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2436-413: The river Cebrus (Ciabrus): to the west Moesia Superior (meaning upriver) and to the east Moesia Inferior or Ripa Thracia (from the Danube river's mouth and then upstream). Each was governed by an imperial consular legate and a procurator . From Moesia Domitian began planning future campaigns into Dacia and Domitian's Dacian War started by ordering General Cornelius Fuscus to attack who, in
2494-529: The sequence of events, which are united only by their relationship to Rome. For example, the chapter on Spain recounts Roman history in Spain chronologically with the Romans' first intervention in Spain during the War with Hannibal . The book goes on to describe the Roman conquest of several regions of Spain, followed by their wars with Spanish tribes and the Numantine War . The chapter on Spain concludes with
2552-473: The source of his information under special circumstances. He may have relied primarily on one author for each book, whom he did not follow uncritically, since Appian also used additional sources for precision and correction. At our present state of knowledge questions regarding Appian's sources cannot be resolved. Moesia Moesia ( / ˈ m iː ʃ ə , - s i ə , - ʒ ə / ; Latin : Moesia ; Greek : Μοισία , romanized : Moisía )
2610-524: The summer of 87, led five or six legions across the Danube. The war ended without a decisive outcome and Decebalus , the Dacian King , later brazenly flouted the terms of the peace (89 AD) which had been agreed on. Trajan's Dacian Wars (101–102 AD, 105–106 AD) were two military campaigns fought between the Roman Empire and Dacia during Emperor Trajan 's rule. The conflicts were triggered by
2668-537: The tribes of Moesia . In the time of Ptolemy (90–168 AD), their territory was limited to the district between the Ciabrus (Tzibritza) and Utus (Vit) rivers, part of what is now Bulgaria ; their chief town was Oescus. Under Tiberius , mention is made of Triballia in Moesia; and the Emperor Maximinus Thrax (reigned 235–237) had been a commander of a squadron of Triballi. The name occurs for
2726-466: The various military conflicts against a foreign enemy in Roman history, until the time of Appian. Little is known of the life of Appian of Alexandria. He wrote an autobiography that has been almost completely lost. Information about Appian is distilled from his own writings and a letter by his friend Cornelius Fronto . However, it is certain that Appian was born around the year AD 95 in Alexandria,
2784-693: The war against Sertorius in roughly 61 BC. Likewise, the chapter on the Hannibalic wars only recounts the battles that took place on the Italian Peninsula during the second Punic war, while the chapters on the Punic War recount all the action that occurred in northern Africa during the first and second Punic war. Of the books which are now entirely lost, book 10 described the wars in Greece and Ionia , books 18-21 discussed Egypt, book 22 covered
2842-712: The work of Fanula Papazoglou, several archeological findings in the Morava Valley ( Great Morava and South Morava ) region in the Iron Age have been linked to the Triballi. In 2005, several possibly Triballi graves were found at the Hisar Hill in Leskovac , southeastern Serbia . In June 2008, a Triballi grave was found together with ceramics (urns) in Požarevac , central-eastern Serbia. A tomb labeled as "Triballian"
2900-544: Was a Greek historian with Roman citizenship who prospered during the reigns of the Roman Emperors Trajan , Hadrian , and Antoninus Pius . He was born c. 95 in Alexandria . After holding the senior offices in the province of Aegyptus (Egypt), he went to Rome c. 120, where he practised as an advocate , pleading cases before the emperors (probably as advocatus fisci , an important official of
2958-636: Was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans south of the Danube River . As a Roman domain Moesia was administered at first by the governor of Noricum as 'Civitates of Moesia and Triballia'. It included most of the territory of modern eastern Serbia , Kosovo , north-eastern Albania , northern parts of North Macedonia ( Moesia Superior ), Northern Bulgaria , Romanian Dobruja and small parts of Southern Ukraine ( Moesia Inferior ). In ancient geographical sources, Moesia
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#17327725909713016-686: Was bounded to the south by the Haemus ( Balkan Mountains ) and Scardus (Šar) mountains, to the west by the Drinus (Drina) river, on the north by the Donaris (Danube) and on the east by the Euxine (Black Sea). The region of Moesia was inhabited chiefly by Thracian , Illyrian , and Thraco-Illyrian peoples. The name of the region comes from Moesi , the Latin name of a Thracian tribe who lived there before
3074-404: Was strengthened by stations and forts erected along the southern bank of the Danube, and a wall was built from Axiopolis to Tomis as a protection against the Scythians and Sarmatians . The garrison of Moesia Secunda included Legio I Italica and Legio XI Claudia , as well as auxiliary infantry units, cavalry units, and river flotillas. Hard-pressed by the Huns , the Goths again crossed
3132-426: Was the Prince of Triballians and Serbs (Τριβαλλών και Σέρβων...αρχηγός/ Τριβαλλῶν καὶ Σέρβων...ἀρχηγός). In the 15th century, a coat of arms of "Tribalia", depicting a wild boar with an arrow pierced through the head (see Boars in heraldry ), appeared in the supposed coat of arms of Emperor Stefan Dušan 'the Mighty' (r. 1331–1355). The motif had, in 1415, been used as the coat of arms of the Serbian Despotate and
3190-465: Was therefore necessary to conquer the tribes who dwelt south of the Danube namely (from west to east) the Triballi , Moesi, Getae and the Bastarnae who had recently subjugated the Triballi, and with their capital at Oescus . Augustus also wanted to avenge the defeat of Gaius Antonius Hybrida at Histria 32 years before and to recover the lost military standards held in the powerful fortress of Genucla . Marcus Licinius Crassus , grandson of Crassus
3248-448: Was under an imperial consular legate (who probably also had control of Achaea and Macedonia ). In 15 AD complaints about the corruption of the governors of Macedonia and Achaia led Tiberius to put these provinces under the control of the governor of Moesia. In 86 AD the Dacian king Duras attacked Moesia after which the Roman emperor Domitian personally arrived in Moesia and reorganised it in 87 into two provinces, divided by
3306-404: Was unearthed at Ljuljaci , west of Kragujevac , central Serbia. In Bulgaria, a male grave at Vratsa dated to the 4th century BC has been unearthed; the royal tomb contains beautiful goldwork , like pitchers and wreaths. These findings are labeled as "Triballian" in Yugoslav and post-Yugoslav archaeology based on the definitions of Triballian territory by Fanula Papazoglu (1978) who constructed
3364-431: Was written in Greek in 24 books, before 165. This work more closely resembles a series of monographs than a connected history. It gives an account of various peoples and countries from the earliest times down to their incorporation into the Roman Empire , and survives in complete books and considerable fragments. The work is very valuable, especially for the period of the civil wars . The Civil Wars , books 13–17 of
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