Topic: The Illyrians

[Wisdom]

Following neolitic people in Bosnia, next known inhabitants were Illyrian tribes. They were of proto Indo-European origin, and although it is not clear when they settled in Balkans, but they have certainly been there in 1200 B.C., and on the teritory of Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1000 B.C. Some of the Illyirian sites are located in parts of today's Sarajevo - Zlatiste and Soukbunar, while others are spread all over Bosnia - from northwest (in proximity of Bihac) to south (Stolac). Several Illyrian tribes were living here: Iapode, Liburne, Dalmate, Desidiate, Ardiane, Daors... Individual tribe rulers were referenced as Kings of Illyria by Greeks, however it is not known that any one of them had a power over all Illyrian tribes. Not much can be said on Illyrian history between settlement and the 7th century B.C, when they were exposed to growing influence from Greeks, and were forced to give up some strongholds on Adriatic islands (Corcyra). A lot of smaller Illyrian tribes were pacified, and no traces of arms were found in their gravesites. Obviously, not all tribes had same destiny as Thucydides mentiones Illyrian mercenaries in Corcyrans campaign against Epidamnus in 435 B.C. (The History of the Peloponnesian War written 431 B.C.)

With Macedonian weakness, and decline of Greek colonies in Adriatic sea, some Illyrian tribes (Dardanians under king Bardylis), have been raiding Macedonia for more than 50 years, until Philip II took over Macedonian throne, and defeated Dardanians in 359 and expanded Macedonian teritory as far north as Lake Ohrid. Phillip's son and successor Alexander The Great, has been concentrated on Asian conquests, and his operations against Illyrian tribes could be characterized as simple policing actions. He destroyed army of Illyrian general Clitus in 335 BC, and after that Illyrians were part of his force against Persia.


In 312 B.C. (11 years after Alexander's death), Illyrian King Glaucius lead Illyrians to expell the Greeks from Durres. Ardiaeian King Agron, and his wife and successor Teuta raided Greek coast as they wanted, and strengthened Illyrian kingdom. Romans had sent envoys to Teuta with request to stop Illyrian piracy in Adriatic sea, but she had envoys murdered, and that brought revenge of rising Rome, and after a punismhent expeditions, Romans took coastal region and set up Roman colony under Demetrios from Pharos. This marked final decline of Illyrians, as in next 250 years, piece by piece of Illyrian teritory was taken by Romans. In Illyrian wars 229-219 BC, Rome got Neretva river valley, in 168 BC they defeated Illyirian king Gentius at Shkoder, and finaly in 9 AD, under the rule of Tiberius, all Illyrian teritories were under Roman control.

[Wisdom]

Illyrian Wars

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Between 233 and 231, the Illyrian king Agron had gathered stronger land and naval forces than any prior king of that country (Polybius, II.2.4). The Greek historian Polybius gives the number of the fleet as 100, and refers to the ships as lemboi, or lembi. These were the native ships of the piratical Illyrians, had wider beams than typical warships of the day, and lacked rams. After hearing of his success against the Aetolians, Agron made so merry that he caught a cough and died, according to Polybius.

He was succeeded by his wife Teuta, who sanctioned extensive privateer activity and authorized her commanders to use their substantial forces to attack, besiege, pillage, or plunder as they pleased. Epirus was plundered in this way. In 230 BC the Illyrian pirates stepped up their attacks on Italian merchants, and repeated protests by the latter brought the matter to the attention of the Roman Senate.

The senators dispatched two envoys, Gaius and Lucius Coruncanius, to Queen Teuta. Receiving the Romans haughtily, the queen guaranteed only that the official forces of Illyria would make no attacks; she was not responsible for the actions of privateers. One of the envoys responded angrily, and for this Teuta had him killed on his return voyage (Polybius, II.. This did not go over well with the Roman people, who consented to the raising of an expedition. The murder of the envoy sealed the popular opinion for war. This was an opportune time for the Romans to go to war, as the Macedonians, Illyria's chief allies, were occupied with other important matters.

229  First Illyrian War

In 229 BC, the consul Gnaeus Fulvius set off for Illyria with 200 quinqueremes, while his counterpart Aulus Postumius took the soldiers. Fulvius first set out for Corcyra, with hopes of relieving the siege by the Illyrian forces there. He was too late, but the commander of the Illyrian garrison on Corcyra, Demetrius of Pharos, turned the island over to the consul. It was placed under Roman protection.

Fulvius and the fleet joined Postumius and the army at Apollonia, and the Romans proceeded north, up the coast of Illyria, causing the Illyrians to abandon the sieges of Dyrrhachium (Epidamnus) and Issa, placing both of those cities under their protection. On the way, the fleet captured twenty lembi carrying off food in order to save it from capture (Polybius, II.11.14), also subduing several coastal settlements.

Teuta withdrew to her fortress at Rhizon for the winter, while the Romans left 40 ships under Postumius at Epidamnus.

The following spring, in 228 BC, the queen sued for peace and gained it, giving up in return portions of her kingdom, an amount of tribute to Rome, and the right to sail south of Lissus with more than two unarmed vessels (ibid. II.12.3). Rome retained control of 120 miles of Illyrian coast, from Lissus to Epirus, and set up Demetrius of Pharos with a client kingdom north of Teuta's, which also provided a barrier between Macedon and the sea.

Roman policy was decidedly anti-Macedon during this time, and the latter country would ally with Hannibal during the Second Punic War.
   
Eventually Demetrius proved no more reliable to the Romans, Italian traders suffered the same piracy


219  Second Illyrian War

Encouraged by the threats posed to Rome by Hannibal and the Gauls, the Illyrian Demetrius of Pharos raised a fleet of 90 lembi and sailed south of Lissus, in violation of the treaty. He made several unsuccessful attacks on Pylos and then, taking 50 of the ships, began pillaging the Cyclades (Polybius, III.16.3-4). The Romans responded quickly and sent Lucius Aemilius across the Adriatic in 219 BC. The fleet quickly captured Dimale, previously regarded as impregnable, and moved toward Pharos, where Demetrius had encamped. Aemilius detached 20 of his ships to make a show in Pharos' harbor, while the rest of the fleet secretly landed its troops behind the town. Demetrius sent his garrison out to meet the perceived threat of the 20 ships, and at that time the concealed Romans attacked his rear. The battle was decided in Rome's favor, and Demetrius barely escaped on a lembus to his benefactor Philip V of Macedon. The Romans returned to Italy to face Hannibal, leaving unscathed Demetrius' ally Scerdilaidas and concluding the Second Illyrian War.

[Danno]

I'm glad you could find use for my page (http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~dpd/roman_navy/illyrian.html) but I'd appreciate an attribution if you're going to quote directly. No offense taken, though.

Danno

[Wisdom]

Hehe, it is okey  

[albanians]

Ancient Albania

The origins of the Albanian people are not definitely known, but data drawn from history and from linguistic, archaeological, and anthropological studies have led to the conclusion that Albanians are the direct descendants of the ancient Illyrians and that the latter were natives of the lands they inhabited.

Similarly, the Albanian language derives from the language of the Illyrians, the transition from Illyrian to Albanian apparently occurring between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. Illyrian culture is believed to have evolved from the Stone Age and to have manifested itself in the territory of Albania towardthe beginning of the Bronze Age, about 2000 BC.

*  In general, Illyrians in the highlands of Albania were more isolated than those in the lowlands, and their culture evolved more slowly--a distinction that persisted throughout Albania's history. In its beginning, the kingdom of Illyria comprised the actual territories of Dalmatia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, with a large part of modern Serbia

Shkodra (Scutari) was its capital, just as it is now, the most important center of Northern Albania. The earliest known king of Illyria was Hyllus (The Star) who is recorded to have died in the year 1225 B.C.

The Kingdom, however, reached its zenith in the fourth century B.C. when Bardhylus (White Star), one of the most prominent of the Illyrian kings, united under scepter the kingdoms of Illyria, Molossia (Epirus*) and a good part of Macedonia. But its decay began under the same ruler as a result of the attacks made on it by Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. In the year 232 B.C. 

The Illyrian throne was occupied by Teuta, the celebrated Queen whom historians have called Catherine the Great of Illyria. The depredations of her thriving navy on the rising commercial development of the Republic forced the Roman Senate to declare war against the Queen.

A huge army and navy under the command of of Santumalus and Alvinus attacked Central Albania, and, after two years of protracted warfare, Teuta was induced for peace (227 B.C.) The last king of Illyria was Gentius, of pathetic memory.

In matters of religion, Illyrians were pagans who believed in an afterlife and buried their dead along with arms and various articles intended for personal use.

The land of Illyria was rich in minerals--iron, copper, gold, silver--and Illyrians became skillful in the mining and processing of metals. They were highly skilled boat builders and sailors as well; indeed, their light, swift galleys known as liburnae were of such superior design that the Romans incorporated them.

" Thats The History of Illyrians , so Bosnia , Croatia , and some of the Yugoslavia was part of Albania. Dont say that Bosnian were Ancient Illyrians , but Albanian were Ancient Illyrians ( Iliret ) thats what they called them self . The Albanian language comes from Illyrians too. "