Illyria

Illyrian tribes.

Illyria (Ancient Greek Ἰλλυρία or Ἰλλυρίδα^[1]; Latin: Illyria^[2] ; see also Illyricum) was in Classical antiquity a region in the western part of today's Balkan Peninsula, inhabited by the Illyrians, a heterogeneous coalition of tribes, about whom very little is known, though a number of them are assumed to have been united by a common Illyrian language.^[3][4][5]

Illyria and the Illyrians' prehistory is known from archaeological evidence. The Romans conquered the region in 168 BC^[6]. "Illyria" is thus a designation of a roughly defined region of the western Balkans as seen from a Roman perspective, just as Magna Germania is a rough geographic term not delineated by any linguistic or ethnic unity.

In the first decades under Byzantine rule (until 461), Illyria suffered the devastation of raids by Visigoths, Huns, and Ostrogoths. Not long after these peoples swept through the Balkans, the Slavs appeared. Between the 6th and 8th centuries they settled in Illyrian territories and proceeded to assimilate Illyrian tribes in much of what is now Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Polog valley in The Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia.

In Greek mythology, the name of Illyria is aitiologically traced to an Illyrius, the son^[7] of Cadmus and Harmonia, who eventually ruled Illyria and became the eponymous ancestor of the Illyrians. A later version of it is having as parents Polyphemus and Galatea that give birth^[8] to Celtus, Galas and Illyrius. The second myth could stem perhaps from the similarities to Celts and Gauls.

Illyrian kingdoms

Map of the Illyrian wars.

The era in which we observe Illyrian kingdoms begins approximately at 400 BC and ends at 167 BC^[9].The Autariatae under Pleurias (337 BC) were considered to have been a kingdom^[10]. The Kingdom of the Ardiaei began at 230 BC and ended at 167 BC^[11]. 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^[12]. Illyrian kingdoms were composed of small parts of the region of Illyria. Only the Romans ruled over all the region. The internal organization of the south Illyrian kingdoms points to imitation of their neighboring Greek kingdoms and influence from the Greek and Hellenistic world^[13] in the growth of their urban centers. 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") each of one controlled a town within the kingdom^[14].The monarchy was hereditary^[15]. 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^[16]. They were the Taulantii, the Pleraei, the Endirudini, Sasaei, Grabaei and the Labeatae. These later joined to form the Docleatae.

Roman Illyria

The Romans defeated Gentius, the last king of Illyria, at Scodra 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 the Drilon river in modern Albania to Istria (Croatia) in the west and to the Sava river (Croatia) in the north. Salona (near modern Split in Croatia) functioned as its capital.

After crushing a revolt of Pannonians and Daesitiates, Roman administrators dissolved the province of Illyricum and divided its lands between the new provinces of Pannonia in the north and Dalmatia in the south.

Legacy

After the province of Illyricum was divided into Dalmatia and Pannonia in 10, the terms "Illyria" and "Illyrian" would generally go out of use, but would still be used in some circles. The name Illyria 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.

The land of Illyria is the setting for William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Jean-Paul Sartre's Les Mains Sales and in Lloyd Alexander's The Illyrian Adventure ISBN 0-14-130313-1.

See also

• Illyrian warfare
• History of the Balkans
• Roman province of Illyricum
• Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum
• Diocese of Illyricum
• Illyrian provinces
• Kingdom of Illyria

Notes

References

• Wilkes, John (1992). The Illyrians. Oxford: Blackwell Press. ISBN 0-631-14671-7. 

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