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Description
For more than a thousand years before the arrival of the Slavs in the sixth century AD, the lands between the Adriatic and the river Danube, now Yugoslavia and Albania, were the home of the peoples known to the ancient world as Illyrians. This book, now available in paperback, draws upon the considerable archaeological evidence that has become available since the Second World War to provide an account of the origins, culture, history and legacy of the Illyrians. John Wilkes describes the geography of Illyria and surveys the region in the prehistoric, Greek, Roman and medieval periods. He discusses Illyrian art, material, culture, religion and customs. A chapter examines the Illyrian language, of which little trace survives, and its connection with other Indo-European languages. Professor Wilkes also scrutinizes the linguistic evidence for the Illyrians' relatedness to other peoples - Thracian, Italic, Greek and Celtic. He concludes with a discussion of a possible survival of an Illyrian native culture in the Roman and Byzantine periods. Read more
Publisher : Wiley-Blackwell
Publication date : January 17, 1996
Edition : 1st
Language : English
Print length : 384 pages
ISBN-10 : 0631198075
ISBN-13 : 79
Item Weight : 1.4 pounds
Dimensions : 7.87 x 0.59 x 9.84 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #1,116,637 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #4,349 in Cultural Anthropology (Books) #6,682 in Ancient Civilizations #18,025 in European History (Books)
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Paperback
It goes back to the earliest possible ancient times with more proof than I ever knew existed. I became interesting with this part of the world because my wife is from this balkan area. She is always so proud of her heritage but also the most respectful and humble person I have ever known to me and everyone else around her. Shes just amazing. My wife's name is Teuta, like the queen of Illyria which I told her about but she didnt believe me until I showed her this book. It was soo funny when I told her how much I learned from this book. I seem like the expert in knowledge but she is like a walking, breathing and speaking real Illyrian. Her father is from Albania and her mom is from Montengro. She told me they are really just all Albanian(Illyrian). So we chatted and debated until I sort of came to terms even though I wasnt entirely convinced yet. After challenge after challenging debates. We finally decided she was right all along with one simple explanation and it went like this. She said, " Do you know what the very word Illyria means", I said of course not let me look into the book.. So she then starts to laugh she goes you dont have to look there I know the answer. I couldnt believe how she knew. So she says I know the language, it means "Land of the Free" , From being totally confused I am now convinced today I am actually married to an Illyrian princess of today's Albania.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2023 by Rick
Format: Paperback
Wilkes is the foremost LIVING authority on the Illyrians. His is the LATEST comprehensive work on the Illyrian people. In his book, "The Illyrians", John Wilkes states on pg: 219: "NOT MUCH RELIANCE SHOULD PERHAPS BE PLACED ON ATTEMPTS TO IDENTIFY AN ILLYRIAN ANTHROPOLOGICAL TYPE AS SHORT AND DARK SKINNED SIMMILAR TO MODERN ALBANIANS." Wilkes has been proven CORRECT by science when the Human Genome Project's Y-chromosome study of European populations, confirmed that the vast majority of contemporary Albanians do not share an Illyrian or any Indo-European linneage - they are mostly a pre-IE Mediterranean population. John Wilkes correctly puts Illyrian descendants among contemporary ex-Yugoslavs, centered around Montenegro and Bosnia and branching out into Dalmatia and south-western Serbia. Wilkes hints that ex-Yugoslavs are slavicized Illyrians and he leans on C.S Coon who insists that Albanians are of mixed Slavic, Thracian, Turkish, Armenoid and Illyrian origin. This work was published in 1991 and based on the newest excavations undertaken in ex-Illyria. Wilkes brings out plenty of the most recent archaeological and anthropological evidence which other's in his field did not have access to. Ten years after he published this work, the Human Genome Project's Y-chromosome study proved him correct. Modern science has dealt a huge blow to Albanian attempts to usurpe the Illyrian legacy. He was a decade ahead of his time. Because of his work, many academics within Albania have also come out in favour of accepting the new findings; namely: Kaplan Resuli, Fatos Lubonja, Ardian Qosi and Ardian Vebiu. They are joined by many international critics of the now debunked Albanian-Illyrian theory: Paul, Hirt, Weigand, Tomashek, Georgiev, Pushcariu and many others. Read this book. Keep in mind that it is based on evidence older works did not have access to and keep in mind that science has proven Wilkes correct ten years after he published this long-overdue honest and objective, thorough analysis of the legacy of one of Europe's oldest civilizations. The Albanians can no longer unjustly monopolise a whole people as they have done in the past.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2005 by highduke
Format: Hardcover
Author seems to be in doubt about the clear link of Illyrian and Albanians as its descendants. Yet, he contradicts himself when he actually quotes Appianus of Alexandria - Under Antoninus Pius ad 131-161, who writes where Illyria is located: “The Greeks call those people Illyrian who dwell beyond Macedonia and Thrace, from Chaonia and Thesprotia to the river Danube. That is the length of the country, while its breadth is from Macedonia and the mountains of Thrace to Pannonia and the Adriatic and the foothills of the Alps. It is five days* journey in breadth and thirty across, say the Greeks. The Romans measured the country as above six thousand stades in length (750 Roman miles) and about twelve hundred stades (150 Roman miles) in width. (Illyrike 1) This is Albani geographically in 1st century with Albanopolis as its center as described by Ptolemy (around Kruje - Albania) untouched yet from any incursions from north which would come some 500 years later around 6-7 century AD. There is No doubt from Ptolemy and Appianus. Both German Historians Johannes Thunmann and George Von Hahn in 18 century, proved that Albanians are the descendants of Illyrians. Another irrefutable evidence that Albanians are the Illyrian descendents is the language for which we have proof in the ILLYRIAN king of Dardania (today Kosova) named Bardhyl 448-358 B.C. Bardhyl name is of Illyrian origin - and can only be explained and read through today’s modern Albanian language as Bardh - Yll , “white-star”. Bardhyl coin is enclosed. Final conclusion: if you are looking for in depth analysis of Illyrian History and culture look for Alexandar Stipcevic “The Illyrians” published 1974.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2020 Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2020 by Illyrian Shqipe
Format: Paperback
This is a great book!It explains the origins of Bosnians,and many other nations in the Balkans. Serbian propaganda,and many "so called" historians from neighboring Serbia were spreading many lies about true origins of Bosnian Nation.This book explains in details the earliest inhabitants of Bosnia of whom we have any historical details,and they are Illyrians.,a collection of tribes which covered much of the modern Balkans including Albania and Bosnia. The archaeological evidence from several sites in Bosnia shows that Illyrians were the stock-breeders specializing in sheep and goats.Also,the archaeological evidence from more than 300 sites in Bosnia shows that Illyrians believed in many gods,and they were very warlike. A warlike tribe in central Bosnia,the Daesitates,whose last rebellion against the Roman empire was finally crushed in AD 9. From then on,all the Illyrian lands were firmly under Roman rule,and a network of roads and Roman settlements was gradually established.Several roads ran across Bosnia from the costal town of Solona(near Split):these served as delivery routes for the gold,silver,and lead which were mined in eastern Bosnia in Roman times...I enjoyed reading it very much especially because it talks about origins of many peoples in the Southeastern Europe including Bosnians and Albanians.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2002 by tvrtko
Format: Paperback
Too dry.
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2014 by Mrika Greva
Format: Paperback
Illyrians are J2bl283 haplogroup not I2. Most Yugoslavia are I2.
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2026 by Amazon Customer
Format: Paperback
The author is too shy to admit the obvious : Albanians are the undisputable descendants of the Illyrians and have an extraordinary history that is yet to be unearthed and explored. The evidence is such that the burden of proof is on those who claim otherwise. How can one explain the "disappearance" or assimilation of such huge Illyrian tribes in such vast an area and without any trace or very little to be replaced by a tiny small group of shepherds descending from high altitudes "deus ex-machina" at a specific time in the 10th century and calling themselves "arber", with their specific language that most serious scholars identify as "illyrian" and come to dominate the peninsula and fight the ottomans and become the dominant force by the end of the ottoman empire? This is not serious stuff and the author is beyond misguided in his conclusions.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2023 by Van Math
Format: Paperback
Just for your information, Albanian names mentioned above as Albanian academics have no formal education at all in the field (history, archeology or linguistic disciplines) and their lack of expertise is so evident at the point of being ridiculous in simple and generally-accepted facts. Now, as mentioned from others this book is not in the level of the name of the author and personally i was very disappointed. And believe me I wasn’t disappointed from his conclusions rather than the tools he uses to jump to conclusions. It is clear that his tools are covered from non-scientific layers. Perfect example is "Albanians are short and dark". I am not going to argue about this topic but I want to ask the author; does the fact that Greeks are black and short (An old man from Greece has no different features than an old Albanian man) prove that Greeks are not descendants of Doric tribes (I am assuming that being close to Illyrians they were blonde and blue eyed like them)???? Anyways... Reading this book gives you a flavor of the Illyrians but unfortunately the author can’t escape the influence of Serb and Greek actual propaganda
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Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2014 by Marenglen Elezi