Illyrian Wars
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| Illyrian and Macedonian Wars |
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| Illyrian - First - Second - Third - Fourth |
First Illyrian War
In the First Illyrian War, which lasted from 229 BC to 228 BC, Rome's concern with the trade routes running across the Adriatic Sea increased after the First Punic War, when many tribes of Illyria became united under one queen, Teuta. The death of a Roman envoy prompted Rome to send the two consuls, Lucius Postumius Albinus and Gnaeus Fulvius Centumalus, and an army fresh from victories in the Punic War to rid the eastern Adriatic coastline of Teuta's subjects. Demetrius of Pharos was defeated in 229 BC and his reign of terror and piracy in the Adriatic subsided for ten years. As a result, Rome established a protectorate over the Greek towns of Corcyra, Apollonia, Dyrrachium, and Issa, thus gaining a strong footland in the Adriatic region.
Second Illyrian War
The Second Illyrian War lasted from 220 BC to 219 BC. In 219 BC the Roman Republic was at war with the Celts of Cisalpine Gaul, and the Second Punic War with Carthage was beginning. These distractions gave Demetrius the time he needed to build a new Illyrian war fleet. Leading this fleet of 90 ships, Demetrius sailed south of Lissus, violating his earlier treaty and starting the war.
Demetrius' fleet first attacked Pylos where he captured 50 ships after several attempts. From Pylos the fleet sailed to the Cyclades, quelling resistance they found on the way. Demetrius foolishly sent a fleet across the Adriatic, and, with the Illyrian forces divided, the Illyrian city of Dimale was captured by the Roman fleet under Lucius Aemilius Paulus. From Dimale the navy went towards Pharos. The forces of Rome routed the Illyrians and Demetrius fled to Macedon where he became a trusted councilor at the court of Philip V of Macedon, and remained until his death at Messene in 214 BC.
Aftermath
Illyria was finally conquered in 168 BC. After forty years of intermittent fighting Illyria became a province; it took another hundred years, however, before the coastal Illyrian and Dalmatian tribes were finally subjugated.See also:
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