List of Illyrians explained

The Illyrians, ; la|Illyrii|) were a conglomeration of Indo-European peoples and tribes in the Balkan Peninsula, Southeastern Europe. They spoke the Illyrian language and practiced a multitude of common religious and cultural practices. Many of Illyrian groups formed a distinct tribal mode of social organisation, which survived much later in the form of the Albanian tribal system.

In late Iron Age and early classical antiquity, the first polities of the area would be created by tribal groupings, including the Taulantii and Dardani. The most powerful Illyrian states of the area, the Ardiaean kingdom, emerged in the 3rd century BC during the rule of Agron and Teuta. The Illyrians came into conflict with Roman Republic and were defeated in the Illyrian Wars, which were followed by many revolts. The largest and last of them was the Great Illyrian Revolt (6-9 BC). The beginning of the integration of the region of Illyria in the Roman world followed the revolt and saw many Illyrians rise through the ranks of the Roman society and the Roman army in particular which produced several emperors of Illyrian origin.

A

Name	Title	Date	Description
Agron	Ruler	Ruled from 250 BC to 230 BC	In 231 BC, Agron possessed the most powerful land army and navy, of any of the kings who had reigned before him. He extended the kingdoms' borders in the north and south.[1]
Anastasius I	Emperor	Lived from 431 AD to 518 AD	Anastasius I was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 491 to 518.
Artas	Ruler	Ruled from 430 BC to 413 BC	Artas was a ruler of Messapia. He supplied the Athenians with one hundred and fifty javelin-throwers in 413 BC for the war against the Syracuse.[2]
Astius	Bishop	Died in 98 AD	Astius was a bishop in the city of Dyrrachium.
Audata	Queen	Ruled from 359 BC to 336 BC	Audata was related to Bardylis and wife of Philip II of Macedon.
Aurelian	Emperor	Lived from 214 AD to 275 AD	Aurelian was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 270 to 275.

B

Name	Title	Date	Description
Ballaios	Ruler	Ruled from 260 BC to 230 BC	Ballaios ruled over the eastern Adriatic with capital at Rhizon. He is attested only from silver and bronze coinage, found abundantly along both coasts of the Adriatic. He is considered as the predecessor of Agron.
Bardylis	Ruler	Lived from 448 BC to 358 BC	Bardylis was the founder of the first attested Illyrian dynasty. Macedonian campaigns proved successful in 393, 372 and 359 BC and invaded Epirus in alliance with Dionysius of Syracuse.[3]
Bardylis II	Ruler	Ruled from 295 BC to 290 BC	Bardyllis II was the son of Cleitus (r. 295–290 BC). He managed to re-create the state of his grandfather in the region of Dassaretis to the west of the Lynkestian lake.[4]
Bato the Breuci	Ruler	Born between 35 BC to 30 BC	Bato surrendered to Tiberius in 8 AD on the bank of the Bosna river.[5]
Bato the Daesitiate	Ruler	Born between 35 BC to 30 BC	Bato was defeated by the Romans in 9 AD during the Great Illyrian Revolt; end of final Illyrian resistance to Roman occupation.[6]
Bato the Dardanian	Ruler	Ruled from 206 BC to 176 BC	Bato clashed with Ancient Macedonia in 199 BC, in order to liberate Paeonia.[7]
Bircenna	Queen	Ruled from 292 BC to 272 BC	Bircenna was the daughter of Bardylis II and a wife of Pyrrhus of Epirus.

C

Name	Title	Date	Description
Caeria	Queen	Died in 344 BC or 343 BC	Caeria was an Illyrian queen, who reigned in the 4th century BC.
Caius	Pope	Served from 17 December 283 to 22 April 296	In accordance with Christian tradition, Caius is a native from Dalmatia and a relative of Diocletian.
Constantine the Great	Emperor	Lived from 25 July 306 to 22 May 337	Flavius Valerius Constantinus was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 306 to 337.
Constantius II	Emperor	Lived from 7 August 317 to 3 November 361	Flavius Julius Constantius was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 337 to 361.

J

Name	Title	Date	Description
Jerome	Priest	Lived from 342 or 347 to 420	Early Church Farther credited for translating the Bible into Latin
Jovian	Emperor	Lived from 331 to 364	Flavius Jovianus was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 363 to 364.
Justin I	Emperor	Lived from 2 February 450 to 1 August 527	Flavius Iustinus was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 518 to 527.
Justinian the Great	Emperor	Lived from 11 May 482 to 14 November 565	Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 527 to 565.

S

Name	Title	Date	Description
Sabinianus Magnus	military leader	fl. 5th century CE	General of the Eastern Roman Empire(magister militum per Illyricum), who fought in the rebellion of Theodoric Strabo against Emperor Zeno.
Sabinianus	military and political leader	fl. 505-508	Son of Sabinianus Magnus. Consul and magister militum per Illyricum.

V

Name	Title	Date	Description
Valens	Emperor	Lived from 328 to 378	Flavius Valens was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 364 to 378. He was born into an Illyrian family in Cibalae, Pannonia Secunda.[11]
Valentinian I	Emperor	Lived from 3 July 321 to 17 November 375	Flavius Valentinianus was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 364 to 375. He was born into an Illyrian family in Cibalae, Pannonia Secunda.
Valentinian II	Emperor	Lived from 371 to 392	Flavius Valentinianus II was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 375 to 392.

Historical rulers

Enchelean - Taulantian rulers

See main article: Enchelean-Taulantian dynasty.

• Galaurus: king of Taulantii. Unsuccessfully invaded Macedonia between 678 and 640 BC.^[12]
• Grabos I (5th century BC): attested on an Athenian inscription, he was very likely a person with great political responsibilities. He probably was the grandfather of Grabos II.
• Sirras (437–390 BC), ruler in Lyncestis.^{[13] [14]}
• Grabos II (r. 358–356 BC): entered Athenian alliance to resist Philip's power in 356 BC.
• Pleuratus I (r. 356–335 BC): reigned near the Adriatic coast in southern Illyria. In a losing effort in 344 BC, tried to thwart Philip's advances in Illyria.^[15]
• Pleurias (r. c. 337/336 BC): Illyrian ruler who campaigned against Philip II about 337 BC. He is considered by some scholars as king of either the Autariatae, the Taulantii, or the Dardani.^[16] Some have suggested that he was the same as Pleuratus I; Pleurias is mentioned only in Diodorus (16.93.6), elsewhere unattested in ancient sources.
• Cleitus, son of Bardylis I (r. 335–295 BC): mastermind behind the Illyrian Revolt in Pelion of 335 BC against Alexander the Great.^[17]
• Glaucias: king of Taulantii. He aided Cleitus at the Battle of Pelion in 335 BC, raised Pyrrhus of Epirus and was involved in other events in southern Illyria in the late 4th century BC.^[18]
• Monunius I, (r. 290–270 BC): reigned during the Gallic invasions of 279 BC. He minted his own silver staters in Dyrrhachion.^[19]
• Mytilos, successor of Monunius I and probably his son (r. 270–?): waged war on Epirus in 270 BC. He minted his own bronze coins in Dyrrhachion.^[19]

Ardiaean-Labeatan rulers

See main article: Ardiaean-Labeatan dynasty.

• Pleuratus II: reigned in a time of peace and prosperity for the Illyrian kingdom.,^[20] ruled BC 260 ~ BC 250
• Teuta (regent for Pinnes): forced to come to terms with the Romans in 227 BC.^[21]
• Demetrius of Pharos: surrenders to the Romans at Pharos in 218 BC and flees to Macedonia.,^[22] ruled B.C 222~B.C 219
• Scerdilaidas: allied with Rome to defeat Macedonia in 208 BC.,^[23] ruled B.C 218~B.C 206
• Pinnes: too young to become king; ruled under the regency of Teuta, Demetrius and Scerdilaidas.,^[24] ruled B.C 230~B.C 217
• Pleuratus III: rewarded by the Romans in 196 BC, with lands annexed by the Macedonians.,^[25] ruled B.C 205~B.C 181
• Gentius: defeated by the Romans in 168 BC during the Third Illyrian War; Illyrian kingdom ceased to exist while the king was taken prisoner.,^[26] ruled B.C 181~B.C 168

Dardanian rulers

See main article: Dardani.

• Longarus: invaded northern borders of the Illyrian kingdom in 229 BC while Teuta was dealing with campaigns in Epirus.^[27]
• Bato of Dardania fought alongside the Romans against Macedon during the Second Macedonian War. Bato is known for using advanced war tactics against Athenagoras.
• Monunius of Dardania: repelled the Bastarnae Invasion of Dardania in 175 BC.^[28]

Other rulers

Histria

• Epulon, ruler of Histria: thwarted Roman advances in the Istrian peninsula until his death in 177 BC.^[29]

Dalmatae

• Verzo, ruler of the Dalmatae: took the city of Promona from the Liburni in order to ambush Octavian in 34 BC.^[30]
• Testimos, ruler of the Dalmatae: defeated by the Romans in 33 BC; Dalmatia incorporated into Roman Republic.^[30]

Messapia

• Opis of Messapia: attacked by Taras in 460 BC at Hyria, in which he died.^[31]

Pannonia

• Pinnes of Pannonia: led Pannonians in the Great Illyrian Revolt from 6 AD.^[32]

Minor rulers

• Ionios: ruled over Issa and the surrounding region in the first half of the 4th century BC, probably after the fall of Dionysius of Syracuse in 367 BC.^[33]
• Caeria: Illyrian queen who ruled to 344/343BC.

See also

• List of ancient Illyrian peoples and tribes
• List of settlements in Illyria

Bibliography

• Bilić. Tomislav. Greek-Illyrian coinage of the central Adriatic region: an overview. TEME. LATINA & GRAECA – NOVA SERIJA 38. 1820-7804. 2020.
• Book: Cabanes, Pierre. Iliri od Bardileja do Gencia (IV. – II. stoljeće prije Krista). The Illyrians from Bardylis to Gentius (4th – 2nd century BC). 2002. 1988. hr. Vesna Lisičić. Svitava. Dinko Čutura. Bruna Kuntić-Makvić. 953-98832-0-2.
• Book: Croke. Brian. Marcellin. Ammien. Count Marcellinus and his chronicle. 2001. Oxford University Press. 0198150016.
• Dyczek. Piotr. Illyrian King Ballaios, King Agron and Queen Teuta from ancient Rhizon. ANODOS Studies of the Ancient World. Trnavská univerzita v Trnave, Filozofcká fakulta. 2019. 13/2013. 1338-5410. 195–202.
• Book: Galaty, Michael L.. William A. Parkinson. The Archaeology of Tribal Societies. Modeling the Formation and Evolution of an Illyrian Tribal System: Ethnographic and Archaeological Analogs. 2002. Berghahn Books. 1789201713.
• Book: Howe. Timothy. Müller. Sabine. Stoneman. Richard. 2017. Ancient Historiography On War and Empire. Oxbow Books. 978-1785703027.
• Šašel Kos. Marjeta. Pyrrhus and Illyrian Kingdom(s?). Greek Influence Along the East Adriatic Coast. Knjiga Mediterana. 26. 2002. 9531631549. 101–119.
• Book: Villar, Francisco. Los indoeuropeos y los orígenes de Europa. es. Gredos. Madrid. 1996. 84-249-1787-1.

Notes and References

1. Studies concerning Epirus and Macedonia before Alexander by Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière Hammond, page 105.
2. The emergence of state identities in Italy in the first millennium BC, pg.51
3. Harding, Philip. From the End of the Peloponnesian War to the Battle of Ipsus, 1985, p. 93, . Grabos became the most powerful Illyrian king after the death of Bardylis in 358.
4. Plutarch, Pyrrhus 9.
5. D. Dzino, Illyricum in Roman Politics 229 BC - AD 68 (Cambridge 2010), pp. 149–153.
6. Wilkes, J. J. The Illyrians, 1992,, p. 216, "Further east the formidable Daesitiates of central Bosnia retained their name. The great rebellion of All 6 had been led by their chief Bato, and their relatively low total of 103 decuriae likely reflects..."
7. The Illyrians by J. J. Wilkes, 1992,, p. 85, "The recorded names of Dardanian leader during the Macedonian and the Roman wars, Longarus, Bato..."
8. Patsch, Carl: Das Sandschak Berat in Albanie, Wien 1904, p. 119
9. [Skënder Anamali|Anamali, Skënder]
10. [Neritan Ceka|Ceka, Neritan]
11. Book: Lenski, Noel Emmanuel . . Failure of empire: Valens and the Roman state in the fourth century A.D. . 10 January 2021 . 2002 . 978-0-520-23332-4 . 88.
12. Μιμαλλόνες "imitators of men" Etym. Mag. (587.53) see Hesychius "mimelazein. mimeisthai" "mimelon. homoion"
13. Book: Cambi. Nenad. Čače. Slobodan. Kirigin. Branko. Greek influence along the East Adriatic Coast. Knjiga Mediterana. 26. 2002. 9531631549. Undoubtedly the word Illyrian had a distinct political (hence to some extent also ethnic) meaning, when applied to the Illyrian kingdom of Sirrhas or Bardylis I, at thend of the 5th or the beginning of the 4th century BC to the fall of Genthius in 168 BC, regardless of the unsolvable problem of how many dynasties alternately occupied the throne and what was the origin and the actual expanse of the kingdom of each of them.
14. Book: Katičić . Radoslav . Ancient Languages of the Balkans . 2012 . Walter de Gruyter . 978-3111568874 . 155.
15. The Illyrians by J. J. Wilkes, 1992,, p. 121, 156, 167, 170-174, 190
16. Hammond, "The Kingdoms in Illyria circa 400-167 BC".
17. https://books.google.com/books?id=iOWS4i5X9fgC&lpg=PA120 Wilkes 1995, page 120
18. Neritan Ceka: Illlyrian to the Albanians, 2005, Migjeni
19. The Illyrians by J. J. Wilkes, 1992,, p. 129, "No Illyrian production of coins is known before King Monunius struck his coins at Dyrrhachium (see figure 11), followed by Mytilus around ten years later..."
20. Fanula Papazoglu (1965), "Les origines et la destinée de l'état Illyrien," p. 143
21. Wilkes, J. J. The Illyrians, 1992, p. 120,, p. 158, "Illyrian success continued when command passed to Agron's widow Teuta, who granted individual ships a licence to universal plunder. In 231 AC the fleet and army attacked Ells and Messenia..."
22. A History of Rome to A.D. 565 - p. 111 by Arthur Edward Romilly Boak, William Gurnee Sinnigen,"The island of Pharos and some adjacent territory in Illyria were given to a Greek adventurer, Demetrius of Pharos"
23. Épire, Illyrie, Macédoine: mélanges offerts au professeur Pierre Cabanes by Danièle Berranger, Pierre Cabanes, Danièle Berranger-Auserve, page 137
24. Wilkes, J. J. The Illyrians, 1992,, p. 162, "...revival of Illyrian power under Demetrius of Pharos, who had succeeded Teuta and married Triteuta, mother of the infant King Pinnes."
25. The Illyrians by J. J. Wilkes, 1992,, pages 121, 156, 167, 170-174, 190
26. Wilkes, J. J. The Illyrians, 1992,, p. 221, "Ardiaei from which intoxicated men were conveyed home by their women who had also participated to the overindulgence of their kings Agron and Gentius..."
27. The Illyrians by J. J. Wilkes, 1992,, p. 86, "...including the names of Dardanian rulers, Longarus, Bato, Monunius and Etuta, and those on later epitaphs, Epicadus, Scerviaedus, Tuta, Times and Cinna. Other Dardanian names are linked with..."
28. Polybius 23.10
29. Livy 41.11
30. [Aleksandar Stipčević]
31. Pausanias (10.10.6.)
32. The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol. 10: The Augustan Empire, 43 BC-AD 69 (Volume 10) by Alan Bowman, Edward Champlin, and Andrew Lintott,1996,page 176: "... Daesitiates was soon matched by rebellion of the Breuci in Pannonia, headed by Pinnes and another Bato. ..."
33. Book: Croatia: Aspects of Art, Architecture and Cultural Heritage. 9780711229211. 2009-11-24. Frances Lincoln Adult .