Illyria

Illyria was an ancient area in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. People called the Illyrians lived there. The Ancient Greeks called the place Illyris. It included parts of what is now Albania, reaching to the Aoös valley and the Bay of Vlorë. It was near Macedonia and Epirus.

During Roman times, the name Illyria or Illyricum grew to cover more land along the eastern Adriatic coast. This included parts of modern Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Western Serbia, and land near the Danube River. Around the mid-1st century BC, the Romans called the coast north of the Drin river Illyricum. Later, this area became part of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia and Pannonia.

Name

Main articles: Illyrians § Etymology, and Illyrians § Terminology and attestation

The area called Illyria was named after the people who lived there, called the Illyrians. They were a group of people who spoke a special language and lived in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula long ago.

Illyrian kingdoms

The first known Illyrian kingdom was that of the Enchele in the 8th century BC. Other Illyrian kingdoms appeared between 400 BC and 167 BC. One such kingdom was led by Pleurias of the Autariatae around 337 BC. The Ardiaei kingdom started in 230 BC and ended in 167 BC. Two of the most famous Illyrian rulers were Bardyllis of the Dardani and Agron of the Ardiaei, who built the last and most well-known Illyrian kingdom. Agron ruled the Ardiaei and also controlled other tribes. The Dardanians had their own separate areas from the other Illyrians.

Illyrian kingdoms were small and made up of parts of the Illyria region. Only the Romans ever ruled the whole area. The southern Illyrian kingdoms were influenced by nearby Greek kingdoms and the Greek and Hellenistic world, especially in building their urban centers. Illyrian societies had peasant soldiers led by aristocrats who controlled towns. Their kings ruled through hereditary lines and often used marriages to form alliances with other powerful groups. The core groups of the Illyrian kingdom included the Taulantii, the Pleraei, the Endirudini, Sasaei, Grabaei, and the Labeatae, who later joined together to become the Docleatae.

Roman Protectorate of Illyricum

After the Romans won the First Illyrian War, Illyrian Queen Teuta had to move to the Bay of Kotor. In 228 BC, the Romans set up a protectorate over the islands of Issa and Corcyra, and the cities of Epidamnos, Apollonia and Oricum. This area was called Illyricum by the Romans.

During the Macedonian Wars, the southern part of Illyria was caught up in the fight between Rome and Macedon. Macedon tried to take the southern Illyrian ports but failed, as these ports could have been used to attack Italy.

The Romans defeated Gentius, the last king of Illyria, at Scodra (in today’s Albania) in 168 BC and took him to Rome in 165 BC. Rome then created four smaller areas controlled by them, and later turned the region into a province with Scodra as its capital.

Roman rule

Main articles: Illyricum (Roman province), Macedonia (Roman province), Moesia Superior, and Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum

In Roman times, the lands of the Illyrians were turned into several provinces. The province called Illyricum covered areas close to the old Illyrian kingdom. It stretched from the Drilon river in modern Albania to Istria in Croatia and up to the Sava river in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main city was Salona, near today’s Split in Croatia.

Later, after a tough revolt, the Romans divided Illyricum into two new provinces: Pannonia in the north and Dalmatia in the south. Even after this, people still used the name Illyria for a long time.

In culture

William Shakespeare used a made-up version of Illyria as the setting for his play Twelfth Night. A modern movie called She's the Man is set in a school named "Illyria High School" in California. Shakespeare also wrote about the region in Henry VI, Part 2.

A history of Illyria by Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange was published by Joseph Keglevich in 1746.

The story in Jean-Paul Sartre's Les Mains Sales happens in Illyria.

Lloyd Alexander wrote The Illyrian Adventure, set in Illyria in 1872.

John Hawkes wrote a novel called The Blood Oranges in a made-up Illyria.

There is a made-up Illyria in the fantasy series A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

The fighting game series 'Guilty Gear' created by Daisuke Ishiwatari includes a made-up Illyria in its world.

The TV series Angel (1999 TV series) has a character named Illyria who is important in the final season.

The character of Una "Number One" Chin-Riley in the TV series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds belongs to a species called "Illyrians".