HISTORY: ILLYRIA PROPER Living in a state of warfare with their neighbors, the necessities of defense would unite the Illyrians. In 424 BC, during the Peloponnesian War, the Illyrians, as Lyncestian allies (a Macedonian people? east of lake Ohrid), assaulted the Spartans on their march across Thessaly (northern Greece) and Macedon causing a Spartan retreat. In 359 BC, the Illyrians nearly succeeded in destroying Macedon. In fact, the early history of the Macedonian kings is a constant struggle against Illyrian tribes. However, the great Philip subdued the Illyrians and captured part of their kingdom. During the 3rd century BC, the Illyrians are known as pirates. Issuing from the secluded harbors of the coast, they ravaged the shores of Italy and Greece and preyed on the commerce of the Adriatic. The Greeks applied to Rome for help, but the Illyrians rejected the Roman demands for redress, however, after two Roman-Illyrian wars (229 and 219 BC), the Illyrians would submit. Illyria, however, remained a powerful kingdom with its capital at Skodra, until 180 BC, when the Dalmatians declared themselves independent of king Gentius. In 168 (3rd Roman-Illyrian War), Gentius came into political conflict with the Romans and annexed his kingdom. The Dalmatians were not finally subdued until 9 AD when they had joined the rebel Pannonians in revolt. From then on, all of Illyria was united as the Roman province of Illyricum. |
