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partial rv, keep the source but what hellenization/romanization and every -ization process means has been seriously challenged in the past 30 years - the previous wording is better as a description of a very complex process which can't be described in one sentence on wikipedia
Tag: Reverted
wording per source of 2009. I agree those older sources should be used with high precaution
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The '''Bylliones''' were an [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] [[List of ancient Illyrian peoples and tribes|tribe]] that lived near the [[Adriatic]] coast of southern [[Illyria]] (modern [[Albania]]), on the lower valley of the [[Aoös]] river, in the hinterland of [[Apollonia, Illyria|Apollonia]].{{sfn|Ceka|2012|pp=59–60}} The Bylliones were firstly attested in epigraphic material from the oracle of [[Dodona]] dating back to the 4th century BC, and their ''[[koinon]]'' was firstly attested in a 3rd century BC inscription from the same oracle.{{sfn|Ceka|Ceka|2018|p=977}} Their territory was trapezoidal on the right side of the rivers [[Luftinje]] and Aoös, extending in the west to the [[Mallakastër|Mallakastra]] mountains.{{sfn|Hansen|Nielsen|2004|page=343}} The chief city of their ''koinon'' was [[Byllis]]. Another important centre of their ''koinon'' was [[Klos, Mallakastër|Klos]], an earlier Illyrian settlement later called [[Nikaia, Illyria|Nikaia]], as an inscription attests.<ref>{{harvnb|Ceka|Ceka|2018|p=977}}; {{harvnb|Hansen|Nielsen|2004|page=346}}.</ref> The Bylliones also inhabited in the area of an ancient sanctuary of the [[eternal fire]] called ''[[Nymphaion (fire sanctuary)|Nymphaion]]''.{{sfn|Bejko|Morris|Papadopoulos|Schepartz|2015|p=4}}
The '''Bylliones''' were an [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] [[List of ancient Illyrian peoples and tribes|tribe]] that lived near the [[Adriatic]] coast of southern [[Illyria]] (modern [[Albania]]), on the lower valley of the [[Aoös]] river, in the hinterland of [[Apollonia, Illyria|Apollonia]].{{sfn|Ceka|2012|pp=59–60}} The Bylliones were firstly attested in epigraphic material from the oracle of [[Dodona]] dating back to the 4th century BC, and their ''[[koinon]]'' was firstly attested in a 3rd century BC inscription from the same oracle.{{sfn|Ceka|Ceka|2018|p=977}} Their territory was trapezoidal on the right side of the rivers [[Luftinje]] and Aoös, extending in the west to the [[Mallakastër|Mallakastra]] mountains.{{sfn|Hansen|Nielsen|2004|page=343}} The chief city of their ''koinon'' was [[Byllis]]. Another important centre of their ''koinon'' was [[Klos, Mallakastër|Klos]], an earlier Illyrian settlement later called [[Nikaia, Illyria|Nikaia]], as an inscription attests.<ref>{{harvnb|Ceka|Ceka|2018|p=977}}; {{harvnb|Hansen|Nielsen|2004|page=346}}.</ref> The Bylliones also inhabited in the area of an ancient sanctuary of the [[eternal fire]] called ''[[Nymphaion (fire sanctuary)|Nymphaion]]''.{{sfn|Bejko|Morris|Papadopoulos|Schepartz|2015|p=4}}


Through contact with their [[Ancient Greeks|Greek]] neighbours, the Bylliones acquired a certain degree of [[Hellenization]] tending to become bilingual.<ref>{{harvnb|Šašel Kos|2005|p=226}}; {{harvnb|Winnifrith|2002|p=37}}.</ref><ref name=Stocker213>Stocker, 2009, p. 213: "The Bylliones were among those tribes that became bilingual. The fact that they minted coins with legends in Greek suggests that they became thoroughly Hellenized."</ref> Their ''koinon'' minted coins as attested by inscriptions.{{sfn|Lasagni|2019|p=74}} The ''koinon'' of the Bylliones survived until [[Roman Empire|Roman Imperial times]].{{sfn|Verčík|Kerschbaum|Tušlová|Jančovič|Donev|Ardjanliev|2019|pp=44–45}}
Through contact with their [[Ancient Greeks|Greek]] neighbours, the Bylliones became [[Hellenization|Hellenized]] and bilingual.<ref>{{harvnb|Šašel Kos|2005|p=226}}; {{harvnb|Winnifrith|2002|p=37}}.</ref><ref name=Stocker213>Stocker, 2009, p. 213: "The Bylliones were among those tribes that became bilingual. The fact that they minted coins with legends in Greek suggests that they became thoroughly Hellenized."</ref> Their ''koinon'' minted coins as attested by inscriptions.{{sfn|Lasagni|2019|p=74}} The ''koinon'' of the Bylliones survived until [[Roman Empire|Roman Imperial times]].{{sfn|Verčík|Kerschbaum|Tušlová|Jančovič|Donev|Ardjanliev|2019|pp=44–45}}


== Name ==
== Name ==
Line 28: Line 28:
=== Language ===
=== Language ===


The idiom spoken by the Bylliones belonged to the southeastern [[Illyrian language|Illyrian]] linguistic area. Through contact with their [[Ancient Greeks|Greek]] neighbours, the Bylliones acquired a certain degree of [[Hellenization]] tending to become bilingual.{{sfn|Šašel Kos|2005|p=226}}{{sfn|Winnifrith|2002|p=37}}<ref name=Stocker213/>
The idiom spoken by the Bylliones belonged to the southeastern [[Illyrian language|Illyrian]] linguistic area. Through contact with their [[Ancient Greeks|Greek]] neighbours, the Bylliones were finally [[Hellenization|Hellenized]] and become bilingual.{{sfn|Šašel Kos|2005|p=226}}{{sfn|Winnifrith|2002|p=37}}<ref name=Stocker213/>


=== Religion ===
=== Religion ===

Revision as of 16:13, 27 December 2020

Byllis, the chief city and one of the two centres of the koinon of the Bylliones.
View towards the Aoös/Vjosa valley from Byllis.

The Bylliones were an Illyrian tribe that lived near the Adriatic coast of southern Illyria (modern Albania), on the lower valley of the Aoös river, in the hinterland of Apollonia.[1] The Bylliones were firstly attested in epigraphic material from the oracle of Dodona dating back to the 4th century BC, and their koinon was firstly attested in a 3rd century BC inscription from the same oracle.[2] Their territory was trapezoidal on the right side of the rivers Luftinje and Aoös, extending in the west to the Mallakastra mountains.[3] The chief city of their koinon was Byllis. Another important centre of their koinon was Klos, an earlier Illyrian settlement later called Nikaia, as an inscription attests.[4] The Bylliones also inhabited in the area of an ancient sanctuary of the eternal fire called Nymphaion.[5]

Through contact with their Greek neighbours, the Bylliones became Hellenized and bilingual.[6][7] Their koinon minted coins as attested by inscriptions.[8] The koinon of the Bylliones survived until Roman Imperial times.[9]

Name

Their name is recorded as Boulinoi by Pseudo-Scymnus (404), Boulimeis by Dionysius Periegetes (386), Ballini by Livy (44. 30), Bylliones by Strabo (7. 7. 8), Bulini by Pliny (3. 21/139).[10]

Geography

There is not a certain geographic extension of the community of the Bylliones,[11] whose territorial and ethnic institution is documented to have existed since the 5th-4th century BC, as evidenced by epigraphic material from the oracle of Dodona. Byllis seems to have constituted the main center of the Bylliones.[12][2][13] Another important center of the Bylliones was Klos, a more ancient Illyrian settlement later called Nikaia, as an inscription attests.[2][14] The Bylliones formed a koinon, which was firstly attested in a 3rd century BC inscription, also ths time from Dodona.[2] Livy (1st century BC) called their territory Bullinum agrum.

Byllis foundation is traditionally attributed to the middle of the 4th century BC, when the Illyrian massive walls were built.[15][12] Its urban layout seems to have been structured around the middle of the 3rd century BC.[12] It was built on a roughly 500 m hill on the right bank of the Aoös river, one of the main river axes of central-southern Albania. The hill had a dominant view over the river's valley, and today's Mallakastra region, over much of which the koinon of the Bylliones stretched. The site permitted also to see the coastline while, towards the hinterland, the more internal centers.[11][12]

The territory of the Bylliones was composed by a whole network of fortifications constructed to protect them from nearby Apollonians in the west and Atintanians in the east.[16] It was delimited to the southeast by the fortifications of Rabije and Matohasanaj.[17] The koinon of the Amantini was located on the opposite coast of the Aoös river.[16] The proximity of the prehistoric burial tumulus at Lofkënd to both Byllis and Nymphaion indicates that the tumulus was located in the territory of the Bylliones.[5]

Although still unproven, some scholars have suggested that the Bylliones may have once constituted a part of Atintania,[18] which may have overshadowed with its name the koinon of Bylliones, and perhaps even the Amantes, in the ancient accounts during the years 230–197 BC.[19] Despite the important place it occupied behind Apollonia, the community of the Bylliones was not mentioned, for instance, either in the treaty between Philip V of Macedon and Hannibal in 215 BC, nor in the terms of peace submitted to Philip V by the Aetolians in 208 BC, and neither in the Peace of Phoenice in 205 BC, when historical accounts report only Atintanes and Atintanina.[20] It has been suggested that about 224 BC, when Atintania separated from Rome but remaining outside the dominion of the Illyrian dynast Demetrius of Pharos, the westernmost part of Atintanes began to organize themselves as a separate unit with the name "koinon of Bylliones", holding the support of the Epirote League. A koinon of the Bylliones is attested in epigraphic material from Dodona that has been dated about the last decades of the 3rd century BC.[19]

Culture

Comic actor playing the role of a slave seated on the altar of Dionysus, 2nd half of the 3rd century BC, from the theatre of Byllis. National Museum of Archaeology, Albania.

Language

The idiom spoken by the Bylliones belonged to the southeastern Illyrian linguistic area. Through contact with their Greek neighbours, the Bylliones were finally Hellenized and become bilingual.[21][22][7]

Religion

Archaeological explorations have not yet found a sanctuary or temple in the city of Byllis, however, a series of inscriptions show the adoption of the cults of Zeus, Hera, Dionysius and Artemis. Another inscription indicates that the area included a fire sanctuary with an oracle, the Nymphaion located on the border with nearby Apollonia. The nymphaeum also appears as a fire symbol engraved on coins of Byllis minted in the 3rd-2nd century BC.[23] A relief found near Byllis also shows the nymphs and a cloth wrapped around this fire, a scene that is repeated only with the nymphs depicted on a 1st century BC silver coin of Apollonia, suggesting an admixture of local traditions and religions with the forms and practices brought by Greek colonists. Under Greek influence the local Illyrian spontaneous and naturalistic cult started its canonization.[24] In the sanctuary of Dodona a 4th century BC inscription on a lead foil reports Bylliones asking to which deity they should sacrifice in order to ensure the safety of their possessions.[25]

Economy

The koinon of the Bylliones minted its own coins from 230 B.C with legends in Greek.[26][7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Ceka 2012, pp. 59–60.
  2. ^ a b c d Ceka & Ceka 2018, p. 977.
  3. ^ Hansen & Nielsen 2004, p. 343.
  4. ^ Ceka & Ceka 2018, p. 977; Hansen & Nielsen 2004, p. 346.
  5. ^ a b Bejko et al. 2015, p. 4.
  6. ^ Šašel Kos 2005, p. 226; Winnifrith 2002, p. 37.
  7. ^ a b c Stocker, 2009, p. 213: "The Bylliones were among those tribes that became bilingual. The fact that they minted coins with legends in Greek suggests that they became thoroughly Hellenized."
  8. ^ Lasagni 2019, p. 74.
  9. ^ Verčík et al. 2019, pp. 44–45.
  10. ^ Shipley 2019, p. 110.
  11. ^ a b Ceka 2012, p. 59.
  12. ^ a b c d Belli Pasqua 2017, p. 89.
  13. ^ Jaupaj 2019, pp. 17–18.
  14. ^ Hansen & Nielsen 2004, p. 346.
  15. ^ Winnifrith 2002, p. 58.
  16. ^ a b Cabanes 2002, p. 150.
  17. ^ Cabanes 2002, p. 125.
  18. ^ Šašel Kos 2005, p. 276; Ceka 2009, p. 14; Shehi 2015, p. 28; Jaupaj 2019, pp. 17–18.
  19. ^ a b Ceka 2009, p. 14, 16.
  20. ^ Ceka 2009, p. 16.
  21. ^ Šašel Kos 2005, p. 226.
  22. ^ Winnifrith 2002, p. 37.
  23. ^ Ceka 1992, p. 125.
  24. ^ Ceka 1992, pp. 125–126.
  25. ^ Ceka 2012, p. 60.
  26. ^ Cabanes 1997, p. 89

Bibliography

  • Bejko, Lorenc; Morris, Sarah; Papadopoulos, John; Schepartz, Lynne (2015). The Excavation of the Prehistoric Burial Tumulus at Lofkend, Albania. ISD LLC. ISBN 1938770528.
  • Belli Pasqua, Roberta (2017). Lavarone, Massimo (ed.). "Ricerca archeologica e valorizzazione: riflessioni sul Parco Archeologico di Byllis (Albania)". Quaderni Friulani di Archeologia (XXVII). Società Friulana di Archeologia: 89–97. ISSN 1122-7133.
  • Cabanes, P. (1997). "Development of the Settlements". In M. V. Sakellariou (ed.). Ηπειρος: 4000 χρόνια ελληνικής ιστορίας και πολιτισμού. Ekdotike Athenon. ISBN 9789602133712.
  • Cabanes, Pierre (2002) [1988]. Dinko Čutura; Bruna Kuntić-Makvić (eds.). Iliri od Bardileja do Gencia (IV. – II. stoljeće prije Krista) [The Illyrians from Bardylis to Gentius (4th – 2nd century BC)] (in Croatian). Translated by Vesna Lisičić. Svitava. ISBN 953-98832-0-2.
  • Ceka, Neritan (1990a). "Fortifikimet antike të bashkësisë byline / Les fortifications antiques du koinon des Bylliones" [The ancient fortifications of the koinon of the Bylliones]. Iliria. 20 (1): 99–146. doi:10.3406/iliri.1990.1562.
  • Ceka, Neritan (1990b). "Periudha paraqytetare në trevën byline / La période proto-urbaine dans la région des Bylliones" [The proto-urban period in the Bylliones region]. Iliria. 20 (2): 137–160. doi:10.3406/iliri.1990.1573.
  • Ceka, Neritan (1992). "Santuari dell'area illirico-epirotica". In Stazio, Attilio; Ceccoli, Stefania (eds.). La Magna Grecia e i grandi santuari della madrepatria: atti del trentunesimo Convegno di studi sulla Magna Grecia. Atti del Convegno di studi sulla Magna Grecia (in Italian). Vol. 31. Istituto per la storia e l'archeologia della Magna Grecia. pp. 123–126.
  • Ceka, Neritan (2009). "Atintanët: një rivështrim mbi territorin dhe historinë e tyre / Les Atintanes, un nouvel aperçu de leur territoire et de leur histoire". Iliria. 34: 5–23. doi:10.3406/iliri.2009.1078.
  • Ceka, Olgita (2012). "Il koinon e la città. L'esempio di Byllis". In G. de Marinis; G.M. FabriniG. Paci; R. Perna; M. Silvestrini (eds.). I processi formativi ed evolutividella città in area adriatica. BAR International Series. Vol. 2419. Archaeopress. pp. 59–64. ISBN 978-1-4073-1018-3.
  • Ceka, Neritan; Ceka, Olgita (2018). "The treatment of public space in the preroman cities of Southern Illyria and Epirus (Vth-Ist centuries B.C.)". In Jean-Luc Lamboley; Luan Perzhita; Altin Skenderaj (eds.). L'Illyrie Méridionale et l'Épire dans l'Antiquité – VI. Actes du VI e colloque international de Tirana(20 – 23 mai 2015). De Boccard. pp. 977–990. ISBN 978-9928-4517-3-6.
  • Hansen, Mogens Herman; Nielsen, Thomas Heine (2004). An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-814099-1.
  • Jaupaj, Lavdosh (2019). Etudes des interactions culturelles en aire Illyro-épirote du VII au III siècle av. J.-C (Thesis). Université de Lyon; Instituti i Arkeologjisë (Albanie).
  • Lasagni, Chiara (2019). Cresci Marrone, Giovannella; Culasso Gastaldi, Enrica (eds.). Le realtà locali nel mondo greco: Ricerche su poleis ed ethne della Grecia occidentale. Studi e testi di epigrafia. Edizioni dell'Orso. ISBN 978-88-6274-962-6.
  • Šašel Kos, Marjeta (2005). Appian and Illyricum. Narodni muzej Slovenije. ISBN 961616936X.
  • Shehi, Eduard (2015). Terra sigillata en Illyrie méridionale et en Chaonie: importations et productions locales (IIe S. AV. J.-C. -IIe S. AP. J.-C.). Col·lecció Instrumenta (in French). Vol. 48. Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona, Publicacions i Edicions. ISBN 978-84-475-4238-3.
  • Shipley, Graham, ed. (2019). Pseudo-Skylax's Periplous: The Circumnavigation of the Inhabited World: Text, Translation and Commentary (2 ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9781789624977.
  • Stocker, Sharon R. (2009). Illyrian Apollonia: Toward a New Ktisis and Developmental History of the Colony. ISBN https://books.google.com/books?id=Tg8ynwEACAAJ. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help); External link in |isbn= (help)
  • Verčík, Marek; Kerschbaum, Saskia; Tušlová, Petra; Jančovič, Marián; Donev, Damjan; Ardjanliev, Pero (2019). "Settlement Organisation In The Ohrid Region". Studia Hercynia (XXIII/1): 26–54.
  • Winnifrith, Tom J. (2002). Badlands-borderlands: a history of Northern Epirus/Southern Albania. London: Duckworth. ISBN 0-7156-3201-9.
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