Illyria

From Free net encyclopedia

(Redirected from Illyrian)

This article is about the ancient region in the south of Europe. For other uses of this word, see Illyria (disambiguation).

Image:Illyricum (Imperium Romanum).png Illyria (Anc. Gk. Ιλλυρια; also Illyris, Illyrikon, Latin Illyricum) was in Classical antiquity a kingdom in the western part of today's Balkan Peninsula, founded by the tribes and clans of Illyrians, an ancient people who spoke an Indo-European language (the Illyrian languages). The delineation of ancient Illyria can pose a problem to historians, since before the Roman conquest the Illyrians were not unified into an Illyrian kingdom, and Illyria's borders before Rome are not always clear. For example, the Dalmatae, though classed as an Illyrian tribe by language, were only subject to the kingdom of Illyria for a short time and soon defected during the reign of King Gentius.

History of Albania
Illyria
Middle Ages
Ottoman domination
Birth of Albania
Between wars
World War II
Communism and later

1 Settlement of Proto-Illyrian tribes
2 Illyrian kingdom
3 Religion in ancient Illyria
4 Legacy
- 4.1 Pyramids
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit]

Settlement of Proto-Illyrian tribes

Some archaeologists propose that the Proto-Illyrians settled in what would become Illyria as early as the Early Bronze Age, and presumably soon mingled with the previous non-Indo-European inhabitants. This mixture would eventually result in the formation of the Illyrian tribes who inhabited Illyria in the Classical period---the Autariatae, Dassaretae, Chelidones, Taulanti, etc.---who were kin to tribes further north, also often classed as Illyrians: the Dalmatae, Pannoni, and others.

The Illyrians produced and traded cattle, horses, agricultural goods, and wares fashioned from locally-mined copper and iron. Feuds and warfare were constant facts of life for the Illyrian tribes, and Illyrian pirates plagued shipping on the Adriatic Sea. Councils of elders chose the chieftains who headed each of the numerous Illyrian tribes.

From time to time, local chieftains extended their rule over other tribes and formed short-lived kingdoms. During the 5th century BC, a well-developed Illyrian population center existed as far north as the upper Sava River valley in what is now Slovenia. Illyrian friezes discovered near the present-day Slovenian city of Ljubljana depict ritual sacrifices, feasts, battles, sporting events, and other activities.

At various times, groups of Illyrians migrated over land and sea into Italy.

[edit]

Illyrian kingdom

The Illyrian king Bardyllis turned Illyria into a formidable local power in the 4th century BC. The main cities of the Illyrian kingdom were Lissus and Epidamnus (also known as Dyrrhacion, Dyrrhachium).

In 359 BC, King Perdiccas III of Macedonia was killed by attacking Illyrians. In 358 BC, however, Macedonia's Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great, defeated the Illyrians and assumed control of their territory as far as Lake Ohrid.

Alexander himself routed the forces of the Illyrian chieftain Cleitus in 335 BC, and Illyrian tribal leaders and soldiers accompanied Alexander on his conquest of Persia. After Alexander's death in 323 BC, independent Illyrian kingdoms again arose. In 312 BC, King Glaukias expelled the Greeks from Epidamnus. By the end of the third century, an Illyrian kingdom based near what is now the Albanian city of Shkodër (ancient Scodra) controlled parts of northern Albania, Montenegro, and Herzegovina. Under Queen Teuta, Illyrians attacked Roman merchant vessels plying the Adriatic Sea and gave Rome an excuse to invade the Balkans.

In the Illyrian Wars of 229 BC and 219 BC, Rome overran the Illyrian settlements in the Neretva river valley and suppressed the piracy that had made the Adriatic unsafe. In 180 BC the Dalmatians declared themselves independent of the Illyrian king Gentius, who kept his capital at Scodra. 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 would be directly governed by Rome and organized as a province.

For the subsequent Roman period of Illyrian history, see Roman province of Illyricum.

[edit]

Religion in ancient Illyria

The Illyrian town of Rhizon (Risan, Montenegro) had its own protector and they called him Medauras. Medauras was depicted as carrying a lance and riding on horseback.

Human sacrifice also played a role in the lives of the Illyrians. The ancient historian Arrian records the Illyrian chieftain Kleitus sacrificing three boys, three girls and three rams just before his battle with Alexander the Great.

The most common type of burial among the Iron-Age Illyrians was tumulus or mound burial. The kin of the first tumuli would be buried around that and the higher the status of those in these burials the higher the mound.

Archaeology has brought forth numerous artifacts placed within these tumuli such as weapons, ornaments, garments, and clay vessels. Items needed for the journey into the Illyrian afterlife.

[edit]

Legacy

After the province of Illyricum was divided into Dalmatia and Pannonia in 10 AD, 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 name Illyrians was used by some groups among the Croats up to their period of romantic nationalism in the 19th century, but was eventually abandoned as a potentially misleading anachronism.

In drama and literature Illyria can be a half-fictional country, e.g., in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Jean-Paul Sartre's Les Mains Sales and in Lloyd Alexander's The Illyrian Adventure ISBN 0141303131.

[edit]

Pyramids

Bosnian archaeologist Semir Osmanagic, an expert on Mesoamerican pyramids, has discovered what he considers to be Europe's only ancient-world pyramids, in Visoko, Bosnia-Herzegovina. The first, known locally as the Sun Pyramid appears to be a hill with four flat sides at 45 degree angles, each facing a cardinal direction. It also has a flattened top, and he has unearthed a stone "entrance". If real, it is thought to be attributable to the Illyrian people, whom Osmanagic believes to have been more advanced than previously suspected.

The pyramid is estimated to be 722 feet high, one third taller than the Great Pyramid Cheops in Giza, and the tallest pyramid in the world. Excavations at the pyramid have already located stone cubes believed to form the surface of this pyramid.

Satellite scanning has shown two more "pyramids" of nearly the same structure and style, in the area. They are coming to be known, locally, as the Sun, Moon, and Dragon pyramids, and are thought to be connected by underground tunnels.

[edit]