The Illyrians

The Peoples of Europe

by John Wilkes

For more than a thousand years before the arrival of the Slavs in the sixth century AD, the lands between the Adriatic and the river Danube, now Yugoslavia and Albania, were the home of the peoples known to the ancient world as Illyrians. This book, now available in paperback, draws upon the considerable archaeological evidence that has become available since the Second World War to provide an account of the origins, culture, history and legacy of the Illyrians.
John Wilkes describes the geography of Illyria and surveys the region in the prehistoric, Greek, Roman and medieval periods. He discusses Illyrian art, material, culture, religion and customs. A chapter examines the Illyrian language, of which little trace survives, and its connection with other Indo-European languages. Professor Wilkes also scrutinizes the linguistic evidence for the Illyrians' relatedness to other peoples - Thracian, Italic, Greek and Celtic. He concludes with a discussion of a possible survival of an Illyrian native culture in the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Genres: History, Ancient History, Nonfiction, European History

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracing the history of the Illyrian people, or those people that could be the referent of the foreign usage of the word "Illyrian", Wilkes does a fine job bringing together the various branches of historical research. Starting from the earliest material culture of the western and southern Balkan region, tying the material cultures to the contemporary historical references, and then taking the history up through the bisection of the Roman Empire and the consequent loss of the assumed Illyrian identity of the Dalmatian coast, it's the best one-stop shop for western Balkan history from the beginning of the iron age up until the establishment of the province of Illyricum. (It continues beyond that, but at that point, one would do as well just to read the prolific field of Roman studies.)

[M.G. Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on the Illyrian civilization. One of the only works out there in English to discuss this ancient people, it covers their geography, political organization (and general lack thereof), religion, technological development, and relations with other states like Macedon, the Greek states, and, of course, Rome. Highly recommended if you want to learn about a fascinating people, the Illyrians.

[Ariton Salihu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even after 30+ years this book is a great introduction on the Illyrians and the pre and post Roman Balkans i highly recommend anyone who is interested in the history of the Balkan Peninsula to read this fantastic book.

[Jer Wilcoxen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Understanding that there is just a very limited volume of data and history of the broadly categorized Illyrian peoples, I thought this may have been the most stilted and boring format and style that the author could have presented it. If this were the first history book I'd ever read, I might have been scared off of history for life. As it was presented, I doubt how much of it I've been able to retain; just a confusing vomiting of information in roughly linear format. Though it was exhaustively researched, and Wilkes is obviously a strong scholar of the topic, I'll be looking elsewhere for a better chronicle and analysis of the various tribes that we collectively call the Illyrians.

[Oneirae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second reading. I really need to buy this book. There is a general absence of good books on ancient Illyria(ns).

[Zoran Zeković · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book.

[Inkypages Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilkins conducted extensive research on an ancient civilization that existed in tribes, leaving behind scant documentation. As a historian and archaeologist, the author provides numerous details, some of which are significant while others seem trivial. However, these details collectively create an enigmatic impression, suggesting that there are unresolved aspects yet to be elucidated. Overall, I believe the author successfully achieves the objective of leaving a lasting impression, highlighting the influence of this distinctive culture that endures even in the present day.

In ancient times, it is evident that the archaeological findings portray the facts as vivid and tangible, yet accompanied by limited explanations. This observation is derived from accounts by Greek historians.

During the Roman era, a similar pattern emerges regarding their depiction of the Illyrians, with initial descriptions labeling them as barbaric, only to later praise them as allied people within a few decades.

Additionally, customary rumors abound, perpetuated by the diverse communities inhabiting the Balkans and defined by their respective nationalities.

[Paul Basar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating broad overview of one of European history's most illusive people. Simply defining what "Illyrian" actually means is a difficult task. In many cases it is as much about what the people who lived in the western Balkans during the Iron Age were not (not-Greek, not-Thracian, not-Celtic, etc) than anything that can be decisively ascribed to them. This must not have been an easy book to write and Wilkes has to navigate the highly nationalistic theories put forward by the various patriotic archaeological schools of Illyrian thought in the countries of the then disintigrating former Yugoslavia and Albania during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He does manage to present a very facts based summary of the various sources of our knowledge on the Illyrians, scant as that may be. It would be nice to have a similar and more recent book about the Illyrians to consult, given the fact that nearly 35 years of archaelogical, linguistic, and archaeogenetic work has taken place since this book's publishing.

[Robert Kidd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book about a little known people. Wilkes prose is clear and colourful and the archaeology and history are well researched and illustrated. I think this will be my standard reference when I'm writing about the Illyrians. I just wish there was more about Queen Teuta and her war with Rome. All we get here is chunks taken from Polybius. Still an interesting read.

[Dasen · Rating 4 out of 5]

VIRTVS ILLYRICI :)