Illustris, in the Roman empire, a title of honour peculiar to people of a certain rank. It was first given to the most distinguished amongst the knights, who had a right to bear the latus clavus; but afterwards those only were entitled illustris who held the first rank amongst the persons called honorati, that is, the prefecti praetori, prefecti urbis, treasurers, comites, and others. The Novels of Valentinian distinguish as many as five kinds of illustris, amongst whom the illustris administratores bear the first rank.

ILYRIA, or Illyricum, Ancient, a country situated on the east coast of the Adriatic, the limits of which were at no time distinctly marked. In its most restricted sense it may be considered as extending from Dalmatia on the north, to Epirus on the south, from which it was separated by the Acroceramanian range of mountains. To the east it was separated from Macedonia by a lofty chain of mountains, which was known under the several names of Bertsicus, Scardus, Techar Dagh, and Bernus. When the Romans conquered the country, they added to it the Dalmatians, Japydes, and other petty tribes; and, under the emperors, so widely were the frontiers of Illyria extended, that it comprehended the great districts of Pannonia, Rhaetia, Noricum, and Moesia (Appian, Illyr. 6). In the third century we find Duces totius Illyriae mentioned, under whose command were placed not only the troops of the above-mentioned countries, but also those of Thrace. When the Roman empire was divided into two parts, they each received a portion of Illyria. The western portion comprehended Dalmatia, Pannonia, and Noricum, and belong- ed to the *Prefectus praetorio Italiae*. It is remarked by Strabo (vii. 317), that the coast of Illyria presented everywhere good harbours, whilst the opposite side of Italy was entirely devoid of them. The climate was excellent, and the soil in general such as to produce olive trees and vines. In the interior, however, the country is mountainous, and covered with snow during a great part of the year.

Illyria was inhabited by a great number of different tribes, of whom we shall mention the principal. In the north were the Japyes, the Labinuri, celebrated as a maritime people, and the Dalmatae, whose chief city was Salon, now *Salona*. The Scordisci, it would appear, were an Illyrian people, reaching as far as the river Danube. More to the south were the Dardani, who occupied the upper valleys of the river Drilo, and extended to the frontiers of Peonia and Macedonia. The most interesting part, however, of Illyria was that which extended along the coast for nearly ninety miles, from the Gulf of Drino and the vicinity of Lissus, to the Acroceranum Mountains and the confines of Chonias. There we find the important towns of Epidamnus, Apollonia, Oricum, and in the interior the Atintanes, and the Dassaretii with their capital Lychnides, situated on a great lake of the same name. Its chief rivers were the Drilo, formed by two branches, which rise nearly two hundred miles apart, and the northern branch of which is now called the *White Drino*, whilst the southern, rising in the lake Lychnitis, is called the *Black Drino*; the Apus, now *Creeasta* or *Beratino*; the Aous, *Voioussa*, which rises in the range of Pindus, on the confines of Thessaly and Macedonia, and which separated Epirus from Illyria.

Respecting the origin of the Illyrian people we have little information on which we can depend. Their vicinity to the Thracians, and the peculiar practice of tattooing their bodies, would lead us to connect them with that important people; yet it is curious that ancient writers always distinguish them, and when they both served as light troops in the army of Alexander they formed separate bodies. Of their early history we know nothing, nor are they mentioned till the reign of Amyntas, king of Macedonia, b.c. 383, when we find Bardylis, a leader of banditti, elected king by his followers. His power increased daily, and he at last included within his kingdom all that part of Illyria which lies along the sea-coast. He attacked Macedonia, and defeating its king Amyntas, took several of its cities (Diodor. xv. 15, 19); and again, b.c. 359, we find him at war with Perdiccas, who fell in an engagement with the Illyrians (xvi.2). The same year, however, he was defeated by Philip, the father of Alexander the Great, who succeeded on the death of Perdiccas, and was obliged to surrender all the cities and districts which he had taken from Macedonia (xvi.4). Bardylis was succeeded by his son Clitus, who made an unsuccessful attempt to recover from Alexander that portion of Macedonia which his father had been compelled to give up (Arrian, i. 5). Clitus was succeeded by his son Pleuratus, and he again by Agron, a powerful prince, who ruled over the Dalmatians, the Greek colonies in the islands Issa, Cercyni, and Melcrea, and also some of the Greek cities in Epirus. The Greeks, however, were by no means willing to be subject to one whom they considered as a barbarian, and they applied for assistance to the Romans, who were at that time beginning to interfere in the affairs of Greece. Besides, the Roman merchants had suffered considerably from the piracy of the Illyrians. The remonstrances of the Romans were little attended to, and whilst preparations were making for an effective attack, Agron died, and was succeeded in the government of Illyria by his queen Teuta. The year b.c. 239, the Romans first landed on the coast of Illyria, and before the end of the year they had so humbled the pride of the Illyrians that they were glad to sue for peace, which was granted on condition that they should give up the greater portion of the coast, and agree that no armed vessel should sail south of the Gulf of Lissus. The islands were declared free, and the country taken from the Illyrians was made over to Demetrius, whose treachery had proved the principal means of the success of the Romans. The Illyrian princes seem to have lived quietly within the bounds which the Romans had assigned them, nor do they appear to have made any attempt to recover their dominions, till the reign of Gentius, great-grandson of Agron, who was induced to join Perseus, king of Macedonia, b.c. 168, in his attack on the Romans. Thirty days were sufficient to finish the war with the Illyrians; and Gentius, with his whole family, having fallen into the hands of the conqueror, was sent to Rome to grace the prætor's triumph. From that time Illyria was considered as a Roman province, and though some portion of the country was at times rebellious, it generally submitted to the power of the Romans. (Appian, *Illyrica*, Liv. xli.)