Po redaktohet Illyrians (paragraf)

== Society ==

=== Social and political organisation ===
The structure of [[Illyria]]n [[society]] during [[classical antiquity]] was characterised by a conglomeration of numerous tribes and small realms ruled by warrior elites, a situation similar like that in most other societies at that time. Thucidides in the [[History of the Peloponnesian War]] (5th century BC) addresses the social organisation of the Illyrian tribes via a speech he attributes to [[Brasidas]], in which he recounts that the mode of rulership among the Illyrian tribes is that of ''dynasteia''—which Thucidides used in reference to foreign customs—neither democratic, nor oligarchic. Brasidas then goes on to explain that in the ''dynasteia'' the ruler rose to power "by no other means than by superiority in fighting".{{sfn|Matijasić|2011|p=26}} [[Pseudo-Scymnus]] (2nd century BC) in reference to the social organisation of Illyrian tribes in earlier times than the era he lived in makes a distinction between three modes of social organisation. A part of the Illyrians were organized under hereditary kingdoms, a second part was organized under chieftains who were elected but held no hereditary power and some Illyrians were organised in autonomous communities governed by their own internal tribal laws. In these communities social stratification had not yet emerged.{{sfn|Šašel Kos|1993|p=120}}

=== Warfare ===
{{Main|Illyrian warfare|Illyrian weaponry|l2=weaponry}}

The history of [[Illyrian warfare]] and [[Illyrian weaponry|weaponry]] spanned from around the 10th century BC up to the 1st century AD in the region defined by the [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greek]] and [[Roman Republic|Roman]] historians as [[Illyria]]. It concerns the armed conflicts of the [[Illyrian tribes]] and their [[Illyrian kingdom#Illyrian kingdoms|kingdoms]] in the [[Balkan Peninsula]] and the [[Italian Peninsula]] as well as their [[pirate]] activity in the [[Adriatic Sea]] within the [[Mediterranean Sea]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}

The Illyrians were a notorious [[seafaring]] people with a strong reputation for [[piracy]] especially common during the regency of king [[Agron of Illyria|Agron]] and later queen [[Teuta]].<ref name="The Illyrians 1996, page 158">The Illyrians (The Peoples of Europe) by John Wilkes, 1996, page 158, "...Illyrian success continued when command passed to Agron's widow Teuta, who granted individual ships a licence to universal plunder. In 231 ac the fleet and army attacked Ells and Messenia..."</ref><ref>Møller, Bjørn. "Piracy, Maritime Terrorism and Naval Strategy." Copenhagen: Danish Institute for International Studies, November 16, 2008. 10.</ref> They used fast and maneuverable [[ship]]s of types known as ''[[lembus]]'' and ''[[liburna]]'' which were subsequently used by the [[Ancient Macedonians]] and Romans.<ref>Dell, Harry J. 1967. The Origin and Nature of Illyrian Piracy. Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte 16, (3) (Jul.): 344-58. 345.</ref> [[Livy]] described the Illyrians along the Liburnians and Istrians as nations of savages in general noted for their piracy.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Livy |author-link1=Livy |title=The History of Rome, Band 2 - The History of Rome, Livy |publisher=T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1814 |page=324 |language=en}}</ref>

[[Illyria]] appears in [[Greco-Roman historiography]] from the 4th century BC. Illyrians were regarded as bloodthirsty, unpredictable, turbulent, and warlike by Ancient Greeks and Romans.<ref>{{harvnb|Whitehorne|1994|p=37}}; {{harvnb|Eckstein|2008|p=33}}; {{harvnb|Strauss|2009|p=21}}; {{harvnb|Everitt|2006|p=154}}.</ref> They were seen as savages on the edge of their world.<ref name="Wilkes4"/> [[Polybius]] (3rd century BC) wrote: "the Romans had freed the Greeks from the enemies of all mankind".<ref>{{harvnb|Champion|2004|p=113}}.</ref> According to the Romans, the Illyrians were tall and well-built.<ref>{{harvnb|Juvenal|2009|p=127}}.</ref> [[Herodianus]] writes that "[[Pannonians]] are tall and strong always ready for a fight and to face danger but slow witted".{{sfn|Wilkes|1992|p=219}} Illyrian rulers wore bronze [[torq]]ues around their necks.{{sfn|Wilkes|1992|p=223}}

Apart from conflicts between Illyrians and neighbouring nations and tribes, numerous wars were recorded among Illyrian tribes too. {{citation needed|date=April 2014}}
<gallery mode="packed">
File:GlasinacShipDesign.jpg|Illyrian ship dating from the 8th–7th century BC
File:SicaAncient.jpg|The [[Sica]]
File:Illyrian-Greek_helmet_from_Montenegro_-_Budva_-4th_cBC.png|[[Illyrian type helmet]]
</gallery>