Teuta

Teuta
Queen of the Ardiaei
Bust of Queen Teuta in the Museum of Shkodra
Reign	231–227 BC
Successor	Gentius
Spouse	Agron
House	Ardiaei

Teuta (Ancient Greek: Τεύτα) was the queen regent of the Ardiaei tribe in Illyria, who reigned approximately from 231 BC to 227 BC.

After the death of her husband Agron, (250–230 BC) the former king of the Ardiaei, she inherited the Ardiaean kingdom, which included much of Illyria proper, though its exact extent remains unknown, and she acted as regent for her young stepson Pinnes with the royal seat in Rhizon (in the Gulf of Kotor, modern Montenegro). According to Polybius, she ruled "by women's reasoning". Teuta started to address the neighbouring states malevolently, supporting the piratical raids of her subjects.

Illyrians soon captured and later fortified Dyrrachium (modern-day Durrës, Albania) and Phoenice (which was soon liberated with a truce and a fee). While her ships were off the coast of Onchesmos, they intercepted and plundered some Roman merchant vessels. Teuta's forces extended their operations further southward into the Ionian Sea, defeating the combined Achaean and Aetolian fleet in the battle of Paxos and capturing the island of Corcyra, which put them in position to breach the important trade routes between the mainland of Greece and the Greek cities in Italy.