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| The '''Illyrians''' were an ] people, who inhabited the western ] from ] up into ] before the ]. They spoke languages grouped in the ], a separate branch of Indo-European. | |||
| '''Illyrians''' (Albanian: ''Ilir''), one of the oldest people of ], ancestors of ], as well supposed to be successors of ], the oldest ever people known to have lived in Balkans. The name ''Illyr'' (Albanian: ''Ilir'') is supposed to refer to Albanian word (adjective) ''I lirë'' meaning free. (Whether the Albanian language descends from an Illyrian language is disputed among scholars. ''(see ])'' | |||
| One the other hand Illyrians are an ] people, who developed their own culture, language and anthropological attributes in their land, the western part of Balkans peninsula as mentioned by the ancient writers. They are authentic. | |||
| Illyrians lived in the whole Western Balkans, from ]’s branches ] and ] in the north, to Arta Gulf in the south and ] in the east. Some Illyrians crossed the ] and settled in ] (], Japyges, Lucanes, Picentines, Peucetii etc.) | |||
| Ethnic atrributes of Illyrians begin to establish in the middle of the second millenium BC (medium bronze period). | |||
| The Illyrians may have appeared in the western part of the Balkan peninsula about ], a period coinciding with the end of the ] and the beginning of the ]. The Illyrians were not a unified body but a group of many different tribes. These tribes however had a common culture and spoke related languages. | |||
| Whether the ] descends from an Illyrian language is disputed among scholars (''see ]''). | |||
| == Illyrian tribes == | |||
| ⚫ | ==See also== | ||
| The biggest Illyrian tribes were: the ], Encheleae, Ardiei, ], Paeones, Dalmates, Albani, Penestae, ], Chaones, Thesproti etc. See List of ]. | |||
| ⚫ | ==See also== | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| *] | *] | ||
Revision as of 22:49, 22 August 2005
The Illyrians were an Indo-European people, who inhabited the western Balkans from Epirus up into Pannonia before the Common Era. They spoke languages grouped in the Illyrian languages, a separate branch of Indo-European.
The Illyrians may have appeared in the western part of the Balkan peninsula about 1000 BC, a period coinciding with the end of the Bronze age and the beginning of the Iron age. The Illyrians were not a unified body but a group of many different tribes. These tribes however had a common culture and spoke related languages.
Whether the Albanian language descends from an Illyrian language is disputed among scholars (see Origin of Albanians).