Illyrians

The Illyrians were an Indo-European people who inhabited the western Balkans (from Epirus up into Pannonia) and parts of Southern Italy in ancient times into the Common era. They spoke languages grouped in the Illyrian languages, a separate branch of Indo-European.

Related Topics:
Indo-European - Balkans - Epirus - Pannonia - Italy - Common era - Illyrian languages

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The Illyrians may have appeared in the western part of the Balkan peninsula about 1000 BC, a period coinciding with the end of the Bronze age and the beginning of the Iron age. The Illyrians were not a unified body but a group of many different tribes. These tribes however had a common culture and spoke related languages.

Related Topics:
1000 BC - Bronze age - Iron age

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Whether the Albanian language descends from an Illyrian language is disputed among scholars (see Origin of Albanians). The only attested Illyrian language is Messapian, which is not closely related to Albanian.

Related Topics:
Albanian language - Origin of Albanians - Messapian

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