Subject Area
History
Description
Illyria, called Illyricum under Roman governance, was an area in the ancient Mediterranean which extended across the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. Situated north of Greece, west of Macedon, and across the ocean from Rome, Illyria occupied a critical place in the world, and yet it remains underdiscussed in scholarship. The sources that have survived into the modern era come from non-Illyrian voices, like Livy from Rome, Polybius, a Greek historian, or Arrian, who took great lengths to record the campaigns of Alexander the Great. Without affiliation or deep understanding of Illyrian ways, places like Rome, Greece, and Macedon dictated Illyrian origins and character, impacting the image of Illyria transmitted through the annals of time. Nations that had power—whether through military means or intellectual influence—molded Illyria to fit their various narratives. Greece assigned Polyphemus, the inhuman cyclops from the Odyssey, as the father of Illyria. Macedon viewed Illyria as both rival and ally, depending on the time, and frequent feuds between the two powers tended to foster growth rather than bitterness. Roman rhetoric during wartime typically focused on a central figure that became emblematic of Illyria as a whole, legitimizing their expansion over a nation led by ‘corrupt’ individuals, who were occasionally framed as strong, respected people—but only in defeat at Rome’s hands. These differing perceptions cloud the true nature of Illyria, and, though not entirely free of bias, the same sources portraying Illyria as inferior, barbaric, or ‘other’ can be utilized in an attempt to understand who Illyrians truly were. This thesis delves deeply into the writings of ancient sources like Livy, Polybius, Plutarch, Arrian, and Velleius Paterculus, putting them into conversation with the works of modern historians like N.G.L. Hammond, John Wilkes, Jennifer Wallace, and William S. Greenwalt in an attempt to bring clarity and attention to Illyria and the biases surrounding its existence.
Publisher
Providence College
Academic Year
2025-2026
Date
Spring 2026
Type
Thesis
Format
Text
.pdf (text under image)
Language
English
Start Date
3-21-2026 1:00 PM
