Illyria

Illyria, ancient region of Europe which, at its greatest extent, included the western part of the Balkan Peninsula from the Danube to Epirus. About 1300 bc, the Illyrians settled on the northern and eastern coasts of the Adriatic Sea. They were people of Indo-European stock and included Dalmatians and the Pannonians among their number. The Greeks established cities on the coast in the 7th and 6th centuries bc, and in the 4th and 3rd centuries bc the neighbouring kingdoms of Epirus and Macedonia conquered parts of Illyria. The last Illyrian kingdom was founded in the 3rd century bc with its capital at Scodra (now Shkodër, Albania). The threat the Illyrians posed to shipping eventually caused the Romans to declare war and suppress their ambitions in 228 and 219 bc. After Dalmatia seceded from the Illyrian kingdom, the Romans captured Scodra and established a colony there in 168 bc which they named Illyricum. Gradually, Dalmatia was conquered and added to Illyricum in 77 bc. The Romans added the southern areas of the former kingdom of Illyria in 34 bc, and Pannonia in the north in 9 bc. After an Illyrian revolt (ad 6-9), Illyricum was divided into the provinces of Pannonia and Dalmatia. In the 4th century ad, the name Illyricum was given to a large Roman prefecture that included the former colony as well as a large area north of the Adriatic Sea and much of the Balkan Peninsula. Under Rome the region prospered, and many roads and towns were built; Diocletian and several other emperors came from Dalmatia. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, the region of ancient Illyria became part of the Byzantine Empire. The name Illyria was revived by Napoleon I in 1809, when he included much of the ancient region in his Provinces of Illyria; the name was also used between 1816 and 1849, when the area became part of the Austrian Empire.