• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

229 BC-465 AD - Roman Period

In the Illyrian Wars of 229 and 219 B.C., Rome overran the Illyrian settlements in the Neretva River valley. The Romans made new gains in 168 B.C., and Roman forces captured Illyria's King Gentius at Shkodër, which they called Scodra, and brought him to Rome in 165 B.C. A century later, Julius Caesar and his rival Pompey fought their decisive battle near Durrës (Dyrrachium). Rome finally subjugated recalcitrant Illyrian tribes in the western Balkans dwing the region of Emperor Tiberius in A.D. 9. The Romans divided the lands that make up present-day Albania among the provinces of Macedonia, Dalmatia, and Epirus.

For about four centuries, Roman rule brought the Illyrian-populated lands economic and cultural advancement and ended most of the enervating clashes among local tribes. The Illyrian mountain clansmen retained local authority but pledged allegiance to the emperor and acknowledged the authority of his envoys. During a yearly holiday honoring the Caesars, the Illyrian mountaineers swore loyalty to the emperor and reaffirmed their political rights. A form of this tradition, known as the kuvend, has survived to the present day in northern Albania.

The Romans established numerous military camps and colonies and completely latinized the coastal cities. They also oversaw the construction of aqueducts and roads, including the Via Egnatia, a famous military highway and trade route that led from Durrës through the Shkumbin River valley to Macedonia and Byzantium (later Constantinople --see Glossary). Copper, asphalt, and silver were extracted from the mountains. The main exports were wine, cheese, oil, and fish from Lake Scutari and Lake Ohrid. Imports included tools, metalware, luxury goods, and other manufactured articles. Apollonia became a cultural center, and Julius Caesar himself sent his nephew, later the Emperor Augustus, to study there.

Illyrians distinguished themselves as warriors in the Roman legions and made up a significant portion of the Praetorian Guard. The Illyrians entered the Roman legions and reached high military degrees. In 193 Septimius Severus dismissed the guard of the pretorianis and replaced for the greater part with Illyrian troops.

Several of the Roman emperors were of Illyrian origin, including Great emperors were of Illyrian origin: Trajan Decius (from Budalia next to Sirmium), Aurelianus (from Sirmium or from Mesia), Probus (from Sirmium), Diocletian (284-305, from Salona - Split), who saved the empire from disintegration by introducing institutional reforms, Maximianus (from Sirmium), Constantine the Great (324-37) -- who accepted Christianity and transferred the empire's capital from Rome to Byzantium, which he called Constantinople, Jovian (from Singidunum - Belgrade), and Gratianus (from Sirmium). Emperor Justinian (527-65) -- who codified Roman law, built the most famous Byzantine church, the Hagia Sofia, and re-extended the empire's control over lost territories -- was probably also an Illyrian.

Christianity came to the Illyrian-populated lands in the first century A.D. Saint Paul wrote that he preached in the Roman province of Illyricum, and legend holds that he visited Durrës. When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in A.D. 395, the lands that now make up Albania were administered by the Eastern Empire but were ecclesiastically dependent on Rome.

In the fourth century, barbarian tribes began to prey upon the Roman Empire, and the fortunes of the Illyrian-populated lands sagged. The Germanic Goths and Asiatic Huns were the first to arrive, invading in mid-century. Alaric, a King of the Goths and leader of other barbarians, tried means other than sacking Rome to get his way with Honorius, the Roman Emperor of the West from c. 395-August 15, 423. Twice before he ultimately sacked Rome, in 410, Alaric had entered Italy with his troops, intending to fulfill his destiny, but talks and Roman promises kept the barbarians at bay. Alaric first invaded Italy in 401-403. Previously, Alaric and the Goths were settled in the province of New Epirus (modern Albania) where Alaric held an imperial office. He may have served as Magister Militum 'Master of Soldiers' in Illyricum.

Immediately after Attila's death the Western empire came to an end, with the murder of Valentinian III., with the sack of Rome by Geiserich, and with the independence of the German nations in Illyria, Alemannia, Gaul, and Spain. All this befell in the year 465.