"No tribe unites with another
of its own free will."
- Sir Arthur Keith
There were many tribes that comprised the Illyrians (see the sources). The tribes that inhabited the borderlands of Illyria (see image) seemed to have intergrated or assimilated with the peoples they were in contact with, e.g., Italic, Celtic, Thracic, and Hellenic peoples. Therefore, the tribes mentioned in this section are grouped as follows:
Illyri-Italic tribes
Illyri-Celtic tribes
Illyri-Thraco tribes
Illyri-Hellenic tribes
Illyri-Proper tribes
ILLYRI-ITALIC TRIBES
There were a number of peoples, of disputed Illyrian origins, that settled the eastern Italian coasts prior to the Iron Age, e.g. the Messapi, Iapyges, and Picenti. Strong similarities of proper names and artifacts regarding these tribes supports an Illyrian presence on the Italian coast, although, their languages appear to have been distinct from those of Illyria Proper (see Wilkes, Illyrians).
Veneti - They inhabited the area known today as Venice and it is assumed that they migrated from Asia Minor as their name connects them with 'the Eneti' of Paphlagonia (see Herodotus).
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 (see Livy).
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.
ILLYRI-CELTIC TRIBES
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 (see Lengyel and Radan, Roman Pannonia).
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 (see Wilkes, Dalmatia).
Scordisci - They may have migrated from the Scordus mountain range bordering Albania and Macedonia as the name suggests. They were a blood thirsty people engaging in human sacrifice and drinking out of human skulls (see Papazoglu, Central Balkan Tribes).
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 also describes them, were defeated by Augustus, in 35 BC.
ILLYRI-THRACO TRIBES
Although it is probable that the Illyrians in general had a kinship with the Thracians, the Agrianes, Triballi, Paeones, and Dardani 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 (see Arrian).
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 (see Merker, Ancient Kingdom of Paionia).
Dardani or Dardanians - Strabo writes of them as "so utterly wild that they dig caves beneath their dung hills and live there" mentioning their love for music and dance as well. 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).
ILLYRI-HELLENIC TRIBES
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 (see Borza, Macedonia). In the south of Illyria (northern Epirus) laid several Hellenized Illyrian tribes. The assimilation of these Illyrians into Greek culture is attributed to the control the Greeks had over the island of Corcyra (todays Corfu off the coast of southern Albania), which Epirus stood in the way of and so, controlling Epirus became a necessity for the Greeks (see Hammond, Epirus).
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 Illyria.
Encheleae - They controlled most of southern Illyria 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).
ILLYRI-PROPER TRIBES
These are the tribes regarded as truly Illyrian by most scholars and historians. They had a large impact on the ancient writers in their day and were some of the best known.
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.
Delmatae or Dalmatians - This tribe came on the historical scene during the Roman conquests when they declared independence from Gentius, the Illyrian king. Appian recorded the Delmatae as a rebellious tribe and one of the last to be conquered by Rome and not until 9 AD.
Taulanti - The Taulanti 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. Thucydides notes this tribe in his history of the Peloponnesian War as allies of Athens. The Taulanti 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.
