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Epirus (Greek: Ήπειρος, Epiros / Albanian: Çamëria) is a name applied to territory bordering the Ionian Sea that is uneasily shared by modern Greece and Albania. The name originates from the greek word (doric dialect) "άπειρος" ("infinite land"), because of the vastness of its alpic territory. In the northern part, which remained in Albania after diplomatic talks by the Great Powers in 1913/1914, there is a recognised Greek minority. Albanian nationalists claim the existence of an Albanian minority in the Southern part, which forms a province of Greece, but the Greek government claims there are no remnants of the older Albanian population in the region, and that the Albanians currently there are recent illegal immigrants.

In ancient times Epirus ("mainland" as opposed to the offshore islands) was the mountainous coastal district bordered by Illyria, Macedonia and Thessaly. To the south lay Aetolia. Epirus was separated from Illyria to the north by the Ceraunian Mountains, and by the famous Pindus River flowing from Thessaly. The Acheron river, mythologized as a river of Hades, flowed through this region, and here also stood the oak grove of Dodona (modern Dodoni), sacred to Zeus and famous for its oracles.

The mother of Alexander the Great was an Epirote princess, wild and tribal Epirus, famous for cattle and horses, lay outside the mainstream of Greek culture. Nevertheless Greek trading colonies such as Corinth's Ambracia were established along its coast. The famous Pyrrhus(Pirro i Epirit), (318 BC - 272 BC) was the most powerful leader. Pyrrhus(Pirro), King of Epirus, one of the monarchs who divided the empire of Alexander the Great, was known for his campaigns against the Romans in Italy (see also Pyrrhic victory) and for his brief rule of Macedonia.But, the famous King Pirro, who founded the Kigdom of Epir in III. Century AD is called “Barbarian”, namely “not Greek”, in the writings of many greek historians. As the Western sources confirmed, the Epirus region has always been ethnically Albanian.

With the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1204 to Venetian-led armies in the Fourth Crusade, the Despotate of Epirus became one of the three successor states, the others being the Empire of Nicaea, and Trebizond. At its brief height the despotate controlled territory from Durazzo in the north to the Gulf of Patras in the south, even the island of Corcyra (Corfu). The Despot was defeated by armies of the Nicaean lineage, who later re-captured Constantinople from the Latins in 1261 and re-formed the Byzantine Empire.

The area passed to the Ottoman Turks in the fifteenth century and was not ceded to Greece until 1881. Between 1912 and 1916 Epirus had a brief period of independence.

Nicholas Gage (nee Gatzoyiannis) is a famous modern Epirote writer (from the village of Lia), the author of the renowned novel ELENI.

References

The father of ancient history Herodotus, in his monumental work “The History”, book eight , paragraph 47, a book which is dedicated to muse Urania, confesses that the Thessproti are neighbors with Ambracias and Leucades, who came to Salamina battle against Persians from all corners of Greece.

      According to Herodotus, Greece ended in Leucades islands, which is to the west part of Acarnania and Ambracias of Ambracia city, the only Hellen colony in Epirot seashore. 

Epirus did not take part in Trojan War, neither in the war against Persian, nor in Peloponesian War, which was of a Greek character, because Epirus was not included in Hellen community. In Panhellenic Conference, organized by Pericles, none of Epirot cities took part, except for Ambracia , which as it is known, was a Greek colony (Plutarch,Pericles, XVII). For Ephor of Cuma Greece starts in Acarnania; this stands also for Strabo(VIII, 333)

           During all times Epirus, up to Berlin congress, remained out of Greece historical borders. Ancient historians consider Epirots as barbarous. It is known that at that time if one was called barbarous, it meant that he was not Greek. Greeks use today the word “Epirot” in order to hide the name “Albanian”. Albanians are the overwhelming majority of current Southern Albania inhabitants, which is extended up to Arta bay.
          Greeks, says Herodotus in his book VII, paragraph II, dedicated to Polymnia muse, charged king Leonidas with 300 Spartans to defend Thermopylae passes, on order to prohibit the entering of barbarians to Greece.
        Herodotus even in paragraph 146 of his book states that in the east of Thermopylae there was a step and impassable mountain, which extended up to Aeta mountain. To the east this road is limited by sea and some valleys and rivulets. There is only a passing way which goes to Phocis, Greece region, extended to the east by Aetolia. This pass, confesses Herodotus, is protected by a wall, constructed by inhabitants of Phocis. That wall  was constructed, because they were frightened by Thessalians, who had come from Thesprotia and were placed in Aeolida (Thessaly).Phocis people had taken these measures to defend themselves from Thessalians, who wanted to subdue and to keep them under their yoke.

External links

• Ethnic Albanians in Greece, an unsympathetic Turkish report on the official position of the Greek Government.
• Hot-tempered postings at ezboard give the flavor of the controversy