Dardani

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The Dardani (Ancient Greek:"Δαρδάνιοι") were a Thraco-Illyrian tribe that lived in Dardania, an area roughly corresponding to modern day Kosovo and part of the Republic of Macedonia.

According to Strabo, they were divided into two sub-groups, the Galabri and the Thunaki.

Name and ethnicity

Living on the border between Thracian and Illyrian influence, the Dardani appear to have been a prototypically "balkanized" Thraco-Illyrian tribe.

Beginning with Johann Georg von Hahn in 1854, 19th century historical linguistics speculated that Dardanoi and Dardania may be related to a proto-Albanian word meaning pear tree (dardhë in modern Albanian). Opinions differ whether the ultimate etymon of this word in Proto-Indo-European was *g'hord- (which would make it related also to Greek achrás 'wild pear'), or *dheregh-.. Robert Graves connected Greek δάρδανος "burned up" (from the verb δαρδάπτω dardapto "to wear, to slay, to burn up"..

The distribution of ancient names found inscribed in Dardania are one of the main evidences that support the idea that the Dardani were Illyrians commingled with Thracians. Thracian names are found mostly in eastern Dardania, from Scupi to Naissus and Remesiana, although some Illyrian names occur. Illyrian names are dominant in the western areas, where Thracian names are not found.

Greek mythology

In Greek mythology "Δάρδανος" (Dardanus), one of the sons of Illyrius (the others being Enchelus, Autarieus, Maedus, Taulas, and Perrhaebus) was the eponymous ancestor of the "Δάρδανοι" (Dardanoi) .

Some Roman writers proposed a connection between these Dardani of the Balkans and the Dardans (Trojans) of the Troad, the popular version of the story being that a group of Dardan colonists had settled in the Balkans and had degenerated in their new Balkan home to a state of barbarism, becoming the Dardani..

History

The Dardani were an Thraco-Illyrian tribe. They seem to have often been a threat to the Greeks in the kingdom of Macedon. Dardania's largest towns were those of Ulpiana (Pristina), Naissus (Niš), Therranda (Prizren), Vicianum (Vučitrn), Skopi (Stoc, Skopje), and its capital was Damastioni.

List of the rulers of Dardania:

Bardyllis,king,4th century BC
Longarus, king, 3rd century BC
Bato, king, 3rd and 2nd century BC
Monunius, king, 3rd century BC
Etuta,Princess,3rd century BC,

Dardania was conquered into the Roman Empire in 6 AD and became part of the province of Moesia Superior in 87 AD. Emperor Diocletian later c. 284 made Dardania into a separate province with its capital at Naissus (Niš).

References

Grace Harriet Macurdy. The Wanderings of Dardanus and the Dardani, Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, Vol. 46 (1915), pp. 119-128

External links

Illyria and Illyrians