a district of ancient Greece, bounded on the east by Etolia, on the west by the Adriatic, on the north by Thessaly and Macedon, and on the south by the Ionian sea. This country was anciently governed by its own princes, in which state it made a very considerable figure. The country, according to Josephus, was first peopled by Dodanim the son of Javan and grandson of Japhet. The people were very warlike: but they continued in their savage state long after their neighbours were civilized; whence the Islanders used to threaten their offenders with transpor- tation to Epirus. Their horses were in great request among the ancients, as well as the dogs produced in one of the divisions called Molossus; and hence these dogs were called by the Romans Molossi.

The history of Epirus commences with the reign of Pyrrhus the son of Achilles by Deidamia the daughter of Lycomedes king of Scyros. He is said to have behaved with great bravery at the siege of Troy; but it would appear that he behaved with no less barbarity. After the city was taken, he is said to have killed old king Priam with his own hand; to have thrown Aftyranax the son of Hector and Andromache headlong from an high tower; and sacrificed Polyxena the daughter of Priam on the tomb of his father. He carried Andromache with him into Epirus, where he settled by the advice of the famous soothsayer Helenus, one of Priam's sons, who had served during the Trojan war both under his father and himself. The only remarkable period of the history of Epirus is the reign of Pyrrhus II., who made war upon the Romans. He was invited into Italy by the Tarentines; and embarked about 280 B.C. After having escaped many dangers by sea, he landed in that country, and with great difficulty gained a victory over the Romans; but he was afterwards utterly defeated by them, and obliged to return into his own country. To retrieve his honour, he then undertook an expedition against Macedon; where he overthrew Antigonus, and at last made himself master of the whole kingdom. He then formed a design of subduing all the other Grecian states; but met with such an obstinate resistance at Lacedemon, that he was obliged to drop the enterprise; and was soon after killed at the siege of Argos, by a woman, who from the wall threw a tile upon his head. Deidamia, the grand-daughter of Pyrrhus, was the last that sat on the throne of Epirus. She is said to have been murdered after a short reign; upon which the Epirots formed themselves into a republic.

Under the new form of government Epirus never made any considerable figure, but seems rather to have been dependent on the kingdom of Macedon. The Romans having conquered Philip king of that country, restored the Epirots to their ancient liberty; but they, forgetful of this favour, soon after took up arms in favour of Perseus. As a punishment for this ingratitude, the Romans gave orders to Paulus Emilius, after the reduction of Macedon, to plunder the cities of Epirus, and level them with the ground. This was punctually executed throughout the whole country on the same day, and at the same hour. The booty was sold, and each foot-soldier had 200 denarii, that is, six pounds nine shillings and two pence, and each of the horse the double of this sum. An hundred and fifty thousand men were made slaves, and sold to the best bidder for the benefit of the republic. Nor did the vengeance of Rome stop here; all the cities of Epirus, to the number of 70, were dismantled, and the chief men of the country carried to Rome, where they were tried, and most of them condemned to perpetual imprisonment. After this terrible blow, Epirus never recovered its ancient splendor. Upon the dissolution of the Achaean league, it was made part of the province of Macedon; but, when Macedon became a diocese, Epirus was made a province of itself, called the province of Old Epirus, to distinguish it from New Epirus, another province lying to the east of it. On the division of the empire, it fell to the emperors of the east, and continued under them till the taking of Constantinople by the Latins, when Michael Angelus, a prince nearly related to the Greek emperor, seized on Etolia and Epirus, of which he declared himself despot or prince; and was succeeded by his brother Theodorus, who took several towns from the Latins, and so far enlarged his dominions, that, disdaining the title of despot, he assumed that of emperor, and was crowned by Demetrius archbishop of Bulgaria. Charles, the last prince of this family, dying without lawful issue, bequeathed Epirus and Acarnania to his natural sons, who were driven out by Amurath the second. Great part of Epirus was afterwards held by the noble family of the Castrati; who, though they were masters of all Albania, yet styled themselves princes of Epirus. Upon the death of the famous George Castrati, surnamed Scanderbeg, Epirus fell to the Venetians, who were soon dispossessed of it by the Turks; in whose hands it still continues, being now known by the name of Albania, which comprehends the Albania of the ancients, all Epirus, and that part of Dalmatia which is subject to the Turks.