Illyrian navy

The history of Illyrian warfare spans from the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC up to the 1st century AD in the region of Illyria and in southern Italy where the Iapygian civilization flourished.

It concerns the armed conflicts of the Illyrian tribes and their kingdoms in the Balkans in Italy as well as pirate activity in Mediterranean. Apart from conflicts between Illyrians and neighboring nations and tribes, numerous wars were recorded among Illyrian tribes themselves.

Illyrians were renowned warriors, according to ancient sources. They were known as skilled craftsman and shipbuilders in ancient times and controlled much of the Adriatic and Ionian Sea using their numerous warships. Illyrians had effective weapons such as the sica, a curved-tip sword that originated in Illyria and was eventually adopted all over the Balkans and used later by the Romans.

Instances of Illyrians engaged in armed conflict occurred in Greek mythology and specifically in the legend of Cadmus and Harmonia, where Cadmus led the Illyrian Encheleans in a victorious campaign against the Illyrians after a divine advice from the Oracle. If the legend is true this war would have occurred around 2000 BC, the time when Cadmus has been claimed to have lived.

Illyrian tribes were reluctant to help each other in times of war and even fought amongst each other and they sometimes allied with the neighboring Romans and Greeks: These conflicts happened because of land, pastures and areas of natural substances such as iron and salt. The Romans before they conquered Illyria were involved in tribal conflicts and using them to their advantage. The most known incident is the involvement of the Romans in a war between the Dalmatians and the Liburnians over Promona, which in the end were encouraged to take peace. Commonly the Romans were ordered to act as referees in their bloody fights. The tribe of Autariatae fought against the Ardiaei for control of valuable salt mines. The Ardiaei were notorious before being defeated by the Romans. The Daorsi had suffered attacks from the Delmatae to the extent that they requested Roman aid.

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