List of Illyrians


The Illyrians 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 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. 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

NameTitleDateDescription
AgronRulerRuled from 250 BC to 230 BCIn 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.
Anastasius IEmperorLived from 431 AD to 518 ADAnastasius I was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 491 to 518.
ArtasRulerRuled from 430 BC to 413 BCArtas was a ruler of Messapia. He supplied the Athenians with one hundred and fifty javelin-throwers in 413 BC for the war against Syracuse.
AstiusBishopDied in 98 ADAstius was a bishop in the city of Dyrrachium.
AudataQueenRuled from 359 BC to 336 BCAudata was related to Bardylis and wife of Philip II of Macedon.
AurelianEmperorLived from 214 AD to 275 ADAurelian was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 270 to 275.

B

NameTitleDateDescription
BallaiosRulerRuled from 260 BC to 230 BCBallaios 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.
BardylisRulerLived from 448 BC to 358 BCBardylis 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.
Bardylis IIRulerRuled from 295 BC to 290 BCBardyllis II was the son of Cleitus. He managed to re-create the state of his grandfather in the region of Dassaretis to the west of the Lynkestian lake.
Bato the BreuciRulerBorn between 35 BC to 30 BCBato surrendered to Tiberius in 8 AD on the bank of the Bosna river.
Bato the DaesitiateRulerBorn between 35 BC to 30 BCBato was defeated by the Romans in 9 AD during the Great Illyrian Revolt; end of final Illyrian resistance to Roman occupation.
Bato the DardanianRulerRuled from 206 BC to 176 BCBato clashed with Ancient Macedonia in 199 BC, in order to liberate Paeonia.
BircennaQueenRuled from 292 BC to 272 BCBircenna was the daughter of Bardylis II and a wife of Pyrrhus of Epirus.

C

NameTitleDateDescription
CaeriaQueenDied in 344 BC or 343 BCCaeria was an Illyrian queen, who reigned in the 4th century BC.
CaiusPopeServed from 17 December 283 to 22 April 296In accordance with Christian tradition, Caius is a native from Dalmatia and a relative of Diocletian.
Constantine the GreatEmperorLived from 25 July 306 to 22 May 337Flavius Valerius Constantinus was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 306 to 337.
Constantius IIEmperorLived from 7 August 317 to 3 November 361Flavius Julius Constantius was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 337 to 361.

D

NameTitleDateDescription
DiocletianEmperorLived from 22 December 242/245 to 3 December 311/312Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus was born in Dalmatia and served as the emperor of the Roman Empire from 284 to 305.

E

NameTitleDateDescription
EtutaQueenRuled from 169 BC to 168 BCEtuta was the wife of Gentius.

I

NameTitleDateDescription
IrenaeusBishopDied in 304 ADIrenaeus was a bishop in Sirmium, Pannonia.

J

NameTitleDateDescription-
JeromePriestLived from 342 or 347 to 420Early Church Farther credited for translating the Bible into Latin
JovianEmperorLived from 331 to 364Flavius Jovianus was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 363 to 364.-
Justin IEmperorLived from 2 February 450 to 1 August 527Flavius Iustinus was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 518 to 527.-
Justinian the GreatEmperorLived from 11 May 482 to 14 November 565Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 527 to 565.-

K

NameTitleDateDescription
Kratill MahataGymnasiarchfl. 3rd century BCA gymnasiarch from the ancient illyrian city of Nikaia who lived in the 3rd century BC.

M

NameTitleDateDescription
Mark LugariSchoolteacherfl. late 3rd century and early 2nd century BCA schoolteacher from the ancient city of Apollonia who lived in the late 3rd century and early 2nd century BC.

S

NameTitleDateDescription
Sabinianus Magnusmilitary leaderfl. 5th century CEGeneral of the Eastern Roman Empire, who fought in the rebellion of Theodoric Strabo against Emperor Zeno.
Sabinianusmilitary and political leaderfl. 505-508Son of Sabinianus Magnus. Consul and magister militum per Illyricum.

T

NameTitleDateDescription
TeutaRulerRuled from 231 BC to 228/227 BCTeuta was the spouse of Agron and the ruler of the Ardiaei tribe upon Agron's death.

V

NameTitleDateDescription
ValensEmperorLived from 328 to 378Flavius Valens was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 364 to 378. He was born into an Illyrian family in Cibalae, Pannonia Secunda.
Valentinian IEmperorLived from 3 July 321 to 17 November 375Flavius Valentinianus was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 364 to 375. He was born into an Illyrian family in Cibalae, Pannonia Secunda.
Valentinian IIEmperorLived from 371 to 392Flavius Valentinianus II was the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 375 to 392.

Historical rulers

Enchelean-Taulantian rulers

  • Galaurus: king of Taulantii. Unsuccessfully invaded Macedonia between 678 and 640 BC.
  • Grabos I : attested on an Athenian inscription, he was very likely a person with great political responsibilities. He probably was the grandfather of Grabos II.
  • Sirras, ruler in Lyncestis.
  • Grabos II : entered Athenian alliance to resist Philip's power in 356 BC.
  • Pleuratus I : reigned near the Adriatic coast in southern Illyria. In a losing effort in 344 BC, tried to thwart Philip's advances in Illyria.
  • Pleurias : 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. Some have suggested that he was the same as Pleuratus I; Pleurias is mentioned only in Diodorus, elsewhere unattested in ancient sources.
  • Cleitus, son of Bardylis I : mastermind behind the Illyrian Revolt in Pelion of 335 BC against Alexander the Great.
  • 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.
  • Monunius I, : reigned during the Gallic invasions of 279 BC. He minted his own silver staters in Dyrrhachion.
  • Mytilos, successor of Monunius I and probably his son : waged war on Epirus in 270 BC. He minted his own bronze coins in Dyrrhachion.

    Ardiaean-Labeatan rulers

  • Pleuratus II: reigned in a time of peace and prosperity for the Illyrian kingdom., ruled BC 260 ~ BC 250
  • Teuta : forced to come to terms with the Romans in 227 BC.
  • Demetrius of Pharos: surrenders to the Romans at Pharos in 218 BC and flees to Macedonia., ruled B.C 222~B.C 219
  • Scerdilaidas: allied with Rome to defeat Macedonia in 208 BC., ruled B.C 218~B.C 206
  • Pinnes: too young to become king; ruled under the regency of Teuta, Demetrius and Scerdilaidas., ruled B.C 230~B.C 217
  • Pleuratus III: rewarded by the Romans in 196 BC, with lands annexed by the Macedonians., 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., ruled B.C 181~B.C 168

    Dardanian rulers

  • Longarus: invaded northern borders of the Illyrian kingdom in 229 BC while Teuta was dealing with campaigns in Epirus.
  • 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.

    Other rulers

;Histria
  • Epulon, ruler of Histria: thwarted Roman advances in the Istrian peninsula until his death in 177 BC.
;Dalmatae
  • Verzo, ruler of the Dalmatae: took the city of Promona from the Liburni in order to ambush Octavian in 34 BC.
  • , ruler of the Dalmatae: defeated by the Romans in 33 BC; Dalmatia incorporated into Roman Republic.
;Messapia
;Pannonia
;Minor rulers