- The Illyrian Wars (229-168 BCE) were three wars fought between the Roman Republic and the Illyrian Tribes on the coasts of modern Croatia, to protect Rome’s Eastern Frontier.
- They were fought inbetween the Punic Wars (264-146 BCE)
The Three Illyrian Wars
- First Illyrian War (229-228 BCE)
- Between the Roman Republic and Queen Teuta of the Ardiaei Kingdom.
- To protect Roman shipping, a Roman army occupied four Greek coastal cities and set up a Ruler called Demetrios of Pharos.
- Second Illyrian War (220-219 BCE)
- Demetrios built a fleet of 90 vessels, and as the Roman Republic was commencing the Second Punic War, he went on the attack. He was eventually defeated by a Roman Fleet under the Roman Consul Lucius Aemilius Paulus. Demetrios fled to Philip V of Macedon.
- Third Illyrian War (169-167 BCE)
- King Gentius of Illyria was a Roman Ally against King Perseus of Macedon. He then changed sides and sacked Appollonia and Dyrrhachium which were allies of Rome. The Roman Consul L. Anicius Gallus then defeated Gentius, and brought him back to Rome where he was displayed in his Roman Triumph.
The Illyrian Coast