Illyrian Tribes

In the beginning,the territory of Illyria comprised the actual territory of Epirus, Albania, Kosovo, Croatia,Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a large part of modern Serbia, Dalmatia and Montenegro. At its peak, it extended all along the eastern part of the Adriatic Sea. It's capital was Scutari. The Illyrians had a tumultuous history and their direct descendants are Albanians.The name Albania comes from the name of the Illyrian tribe called the Arber, or Arbereshë, and later Albanoi, that lived near Durrës.There were many tribes that comprised the Illyrians. The tribes that inhabited the borderlands of Illyria seemed to have intergrated or assimilated with the peoples they were in contact with, e.g., Italic, Celtic, Thracic, and Hellenic. Therefore, the tribes mentioned in this section are grouped as follows:

Illyrian-Italic tribes
Illyrian-Celtic tribes
Illyrian-Thraco tribes
Illyrian-Hellenic tribes
Illyrian-Proper tribes


Illyrian-Italic tribes
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There were a number of peoples, of Illyrian origins, that settled the eastern Italian coasts prior to the Iron Age. Strong similarities of proper names and artifacts supports an Illyrian presence on the Italian coast, although, their languages appear to have been distinct from those of Illyria Proper.

Messapi - They once occupied the area of present day Apulia or the southern heel of Italy. Based on ancient inscriptions and artifacts, an Illyrian sub-culture appears evident.

Iapyges or Japyges - There is a strong resemblance between the name 'Iapyges' and the 'Iapodes or Japodes,' an Illyri-Celtic tribe, of the western Balkans. A Japodic migration by land or, more probable, by sea could have taken place.

Picenti - Archaeology has exposed a strong Illyrian presence among them in central Italy. Many tumuli or burials show a strong liking to those of the Liburni who were seafarers and known to have exploited both coasts of the Adriatic.


Histri or Istri - The name, Istra penninsula - off the Gulf of Venice - comes from them. Notorious for piracy in the third century BC, they warred against Rome led by their chieftain, Aepulo.



Illyrian-Celtic tribes
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The Celts began to settle the area between the Drave and Save Rivers that stretch from eastern Croatia to western Serbia in the fourth century BC. This region was once known as Pannonia and it was believed that Pannonia was named after an Illyrian tribe of the same name, the Pannonians.

However, Pannonia was probably a name applied by the ancient writers for geographical purposes and not necessarily for a tribe known to have inhabited the region. The name could have sprung from the Paeonians, an Illyri-Thraco tribe, who once occupied modern northern Macedonia. The ancient Roman historian, Appian, described those who occupied Pannonia as lacking central authority. This could be explained by the several tribes that inhabited Pannonia like the Breuci and the Scordisci. The lack of central authority implies that these tribes were independent of each other and not bound to a dominant tribe, which would leave Pannonia as only a place name. Nonetheless, those who did occupy this region were called Pannonians.

Breuci - This tribe rebelled against the Roman occupation of Pannonia in 14 BC and again in 6 AD under a leader named Bato. The Romans with the help of the Scordisci defeated them.

Scordisci - They may have migrated from the Scordus mountain range bordering Albania and Macedonia as the name suggests. They are refered to as a blood thirsty people engaging in human sacrifice and drinking out of human skulls.

Iapodes or Japodes - The ancient geographer, Strabo, described their armor as Celtic, but that they were tattooed like the other Illyrians. This 'war-crazy' tribe as Strabo describes them, were defeated by Augustus, in 35 BC.


Illyrian-Thraco tribes
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Although it is probable that the Illyrians in general had a kinship with the Thracians, the Agrianes, Triballi, and Paeones tribes were considered to be both Illyrian and Thracian. The ancient writer, Herodotus, even compared the Illyrians to the Thracians as a rude and barbaric people.

Triballi - They warred with Macedon during the reign of Philip the Great in 339 BC and even succeeded in taking the booty gained by Philip on his Thracian raids. They declined after the Roman conquests.

Agrianes - They became allies to Macedon and their chieftain, Langarus, even assisted Alexander the Great's advances into Illyria, in, 335 BC by engaging the Autariatae who were planning to attack Alexander.

Paeones or Paeonians - The Paeonians allied themselves with southern Illyrians on many occassions to regained territory conquered by Macedon. Through the course of these conflicts, however, the Paeonians were weakened and incorporated into the Macedonian Kingdom.


Illyrian-Hellenic tribes
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The Greeks were known to have Hellenized many peoples in and around the region of Greece like the Macedonians, who some believe, have Thracian or even Illyrian roots. In the extreme south of Illyria (Epirus) laid several mxed Illyrian-Greek tribes such as the Chaoni and Molossi.

Chaoni or Chaones - The Roman historian, Appian, mentions Chaonia, land of the Chaones, as the southern border in his description and geography of Illyria. They were regarded as a people who knew little about cultivation and ate uncooked foods.

Molossi - They were the most powerful of the Epirote tribes. The Molossians were a dynastic tribe very much in control of Epirus and, at times, controlled southern Illyria as far north as the city of Epidamnus in central Albania.


Thesprotians-Were an ancient illyrian tribe of Epirus, akin to the Molossians.According to Strabo, the Thesprotians (along with the Chaonians and the Molossians) were the most famous tribes of Epirus, as they once ruled over the whole region. The Chaonians ruled Epirus first while the Thesprotians and Molossians ruled afterwards.


Illyrian-Proper tribes
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These are the tribes of Illyria proper that had the largest impact on the ancient writers in their day and the best known, not to mention, truly regarded as Illyrian.


Albani or Albanoi (Greek: Ἀλβανοί) was an Illyrian tribe whose first historical account, in a work of Ptolemy,[5] places them in modern north-central Albania), in 150 AD in ancient Roman Macedon specifically in Epirus Nova. This places them almost 300 years after the Roman conquest of the region, in the Roman province of Macedon. Albanopolis of the Albani is a place located on the map of Ptolemy and also named on an ancient family epitaph at Scupi (near modern Skopje), which has been identified with the Zgardhesh hill-fort near Kruja in northern Albania. Arbanon is likely to be the name of a district — the plain of the Mat has been suggested — rather than a particular place.


Ardiaei - They were once an inland tribe, but forced to move by oncoming Celts eventually settling on the Adriatic (Montenegrin coast). The ancient geographer, Strabo, lists the Ardiaei as one of the three strongest tribes - the other two being the Autariatae and the Dardani. They rose to power in the third century BC and came into conflict with Rome because of piracy and alliances with Macedon and were conquered in 168 BC. They were pressed back inland by the Romans and disappeared from history.

Autariatae - The ancient historian Arrian mentions the Autariatae planning an attack on Alexander the Great's army on his march into Illyria. Strabo expresses the Autariatae as the most powerful of the Illyrians. The Ardiaei warred with this tribe over salt mines and were defeated soundly by them.


Dassareti(Greek Δασσαρῆται) was an Illyrian tribe.They were located between the Dardani and the Ardiaei.Appian of Alexandria wrote in his "Illyrian wars" that according to the Ancient Greeks, Illyrius, the ancestor of the Illyrians, had a daughter, Dassaro, from whom sprang the Dassaretae.

Dardani or Dardanians - Strabo writes of them as "so utterly wild that they dig caves beneath their dung hills and live there" mentioning as well their love for music and dance. The Dardanians fell into many conflicts with Macedon from the fourth to second centuries BC. They would eventually be subdued by the Ardiaei and then later by the Romans. It has been suggested that these Dardanians even shared a kinship with the ancient Trojans (see Origins).

Delmatae or Dalmatians - This tribe came on the historical scene during the Roman conquests when they declared independence from Gentius, the Illyrian king. The Delmatae continued to rebel against the Romans and were one of the last Illyrian tribes to be conquered by them and not until 9 AD.

Encheleae - They controlled most of southern Illyria and were at the height of their power in the eighth and seventh centuries BC. They were the first to have an organized Illyrian tribal-state (around Lake Ohrid in Albania). The ancient historian Herodotus seems to implicate this group as attacking the temple of Apollo at Delphi (Greece).

Liburni - These seafarers were described as the masters of the Adriatic Sea and once occupied the northern Croatian coast and surrounding islands. Their swift sailing craft would later be adopted by the Romans and named after them.
Strabo recorded the oldest known conflict between the Greeks and Illyrians when Chersicrates, the Corinthian, succeeded in driving the Liburni from the island of Corcyca - today's Corfu. The Greek mariner, Scylax, wrote of the Liburni as being dominated by women who were sexually free to engage with whomever they pleased. The Roman writer, Varro, extends this sexual freedom to the unmarried women of the Liburni as well suggesting a matriarchal society.

Taulanti - The Taulanti were known to have dominated the area of central Albania for many centuries and were one of the notable tribes in the recorded histories of the Greeks and Romans. The Taulanti, noted enemies of Macedon, struggled to keep Dyrrachium out of Macedon's hands in the late fourth century BC. During the Roman-Illyrian wars the Taulanti sided with Rome as they did in earlier times with Corcyra and Athens (see Dynasties) setting politics and economics above everything else.



Complete List of Illyrian Tribes
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Abri
Albanoi
Amantini
Andizetes
Arbanitai (Arbanios)
Ardiaei
Ardiani
Arrianes
Atitani (Atintanes)
Autariatae (Autariates)
Azali
Breuci
Briges
Bylliones
Carni
Catari
Celegeri
Chaones
Chelidones
Colapiani (Colapani)
Cornacates
Daesitiates
Dalmatae (Delmatae)
Daorsoi
Dardani
Dassaretae (Dassarstae,Dassarenses,Dasaretae)
Daversi
Deraemestae
Deuri
Dindari
Ditiones
Docleatae
Enchelaeae (Enchelleae)
Eravisci
Glintidiones
Grabaei
Histri
Iapydes (Iapodes)
Iasi (Jasi)
Illyrioi
Labeatae (Labeates)
Liburni
Lopsi
Maezaei
Meslcumani
Messapii
Molosoi
Naransii
Oseriates (Osseriates)
Pannoni
Parthini
Penestae (Perestae)
Pirustae (Pipustae)
Plearaei
Sardeaties
Scirtari
Seleiitan
Soirtones
Taulanti (Taulani)
Thesprotii
Vardaei