According to a mythological tradition reported byAppian (2nd century AD), the Parthini were among the South-Illyrian tribes that took their names from the first generation of the descendants ofIllyrius, the eponymous ancestor of all theIllyrian peoples.[3][4][5]
The Parthini most likely inhabited the area between the hinterland ofDyrrhachium at theTirana plane in the north, and the hinterland of Apollonia at the Apsus river (Seman) in the south.[2] Their territory likely included theShkumbin valley, hence they controlled the important route between theAdriatic Sea andMacedonia, which corresponded to theVia Egnatia ofRoman times.[1] Initially, the Parthini may have held the lands around Epidamnus-Dyrrhachium, but later they were probably pushed more inland by theTaulantii losing their coastal holdings.[6]
A walled city built in the 4th century BC at the latest has been found on theGradishtë plateau nearBelsh. It developed from an early 7th century BC hilltop settlement, and was located on the route leading from Apollonia along the Apsus river to the Shkumbin. Its ancient name is not known, but it can be assumed to have been the chief settlement of the Parthini. It existed until late antiquity, and was destroyed by the Slavic invasion.[7]
The Illyrian stronghold ofDimale was situated in the vicinity or within the territory of the Parthini.[8]Parthus was a settlement of the Parthini.[9]
The idiom spoken by the Parthini is included in the southernIllyrian onomastic province in modern linguistics.[10][11] The territory they inhabited belongs to the area that is considered in current scholarship as the linguistic core of Illyrian.[12]
The Parthini worshiped a supreme god recognized throughinterpretatio romana as 'Jupiter Parthinus'.[13] It is attested inLatin epigraphic material as I(upiter) O(ptimus) M(aximus) Partinus.[14]
S o u t h e r n I l l y r i a i n t h e 3rd – 2nd c e n t u r i e s B C E
The Parthini are often mentioned in the course of theRoman wars inIllyria andMacedonia,229 BCE, but as friends rather than foes of the Romans, having submitted at an early period to their arms. (Polyb. ii. 11;Livy xxix. 12.) After the death ofPhilip, king ofMacedon, they appear to have been added to the dominions ofPleuratus, anIllyrian prince allied to the Romans. (Polyb. xviii. 30; Liv. xxx. 34, xliv. 30.) Their principal town wasParthus (Πάρθος,Steph. B.s. v.), which was taken byCaesar in the course of his campaign withPompeius. (Caes.B.C. iii. 41.) The double-hilledDimallum, the strongest among the Illyrian places, with two citadels on two heights, connected by a wall (Polyb. iii. 18, vii. 9), was within their territory. There is no indication, however, of its precise situation, which was probably betweenLissus and Epidamnus. Livy mentions (xxix. 12) two other fortresses:Eugenium andBargulum.
Ancient historical sources testify agricultural economy among the Parthini, who were attested to have cultivated corn inRoman times.[15] During theGreat Roman Civil War the Parthini were obliged to deliver their corn supply forPompey's troops. The situation changed with Caesar's arrival inIllyria. Once he had landed inPalaeste on theCeraunian Mountains, the Illyrian communities, which were garrisoned by Pompey and theSenate, welcomed Caesar.[16]
^abcCabanes 2007, p. 579: "Parthini (Partini,Partheni, Παρθῖνοι/Parthînoi, Παρθεηνᾶται/Partheēnâtai). Illyrian tribe (Str. 7,7,8; App. Ill. 2) near → Dyrrhachium (App. B Civ. 5,320). It is likely that they lived in the Shkumbi valley (in modern Albania) and controlled the important link between → Ionios Kolpos and → Macedonia, equivalent to the later → via Egnatia. Their neighbours to the east were the Dassaretae (Dassaretia) in the region of the modern Ohrid, and to the west the Taulantii (Thuc. 1,24; Diod. Sic. 12,30-40)."
^Papazoglu 1978, p. 213: "The tribes which took their names from the first generation of Illyrius' descendants belong mostly to the group of the so-called South-Illyrian tribes: the Taulantii, the Parthini, the Enchelei, the Dassaretii".
^Polomé 1983, p. 537: "The old kingdom of Illyria, south of Lissos, covered the territory of several tribes who shared a common language, apparently of Indo-European stock: theTaulantii, on the coast, south of Dyrrachium; theParthini, north of this town; theDassaretae, inland, near Lake Lychnidos and in the Drin valley; north of them were thePenestae; in the mountains, an older group, theEnchelei, lingered on." [footnote 84:] "In the oldest sources, the term 'Illyrian' appears to be restricted to the tribes of theIllyricum regnum (PAPAZOGLU, 1965). Linguistically, it can only legitimately be applied to the southeastern part of the expanded Roman Illyricum; theDelmatae and thePannonii to the northwest mus have constituted an ethnically and linguistically distinct group (KATIČIĆ, 1968: 367-8)."
^Šašel Kos 2002, p. 117: "The Illyrian peoples, mentioned in the sources in which the events concerning the Illyrian kingdom are narrated – to name the most outstanding – are the Taulantii, Atintani, Parthini, Enchelei, Penestae, Dassaretii, Ardiaei, Labeates, and the Daorsi. All of these peoples were conceivably more or less closely related in terms of culture, institutions and language. Many of them may have had their own kings, some of whom attained great power and actively took part in the struggle for power in the Hellenistic world. The name “Illyrian” must have carried enough prestige at the time of the rise of the Ardiaean dynasty within the Illyrian kingdom that it was imposed at a later date, when the Romans conquered Illyria and the rest of the Balkans, as the official name of the future provinces of Dalmatia and Pannonia."
^Haebler 2002, p. 475: "To be cautious, only that language, which was spread along the south-eastern Adriatic coast northward and southward from Dyrrhachium (today Durrës) and inland to Lake Lychnidos (today Ohrid) in the settlement area of the Illyrian tribes of the Parthini, Taulanti, Dassaretae and Penestae, must be considered as Illyrian at present."
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.ISBN953-98832-0-2.
Ceka, Hasan (2001). "Ndikimi zotërues i kultit ilir mbi monetat antike të vendit tonë / The Influence of the Illyrian Cult on Ancient Coins from Albania".Iliria.30 (1):5–8.doi:10.3406/iliri.2001.1723.
Mesihović, Salmedin; Šačić, Amra (2015).Historija Ilira [History of Illyrians] (in Bosnian). Sarajevo: Univerzitet u Sarajevu [University of Sarajevo].ISBN978-9958-600-65-4.
Šašel Kos, Marjeta (2004). "Mythological stories concerning Illyria and its name". In P. Cabanes; J.-L. Lamboley (eds.).L'Illyrie méridionale et l'Epire dans l'Antiquité. Vol. 4. pp. 493–504.
Shpuza, Saïmir (2009). "Aspekte të ekonomisë antike ilire dhe epirote / Aspects of Ancient Illyrian and Epirotic Economy".Iliria.34:91–110.doi:10.3406/iliri.2009.1083.
