[3] The name "Dexari" is mentioned only in a fragment of ancient Greek writer Hecataeus of Miletus (6th century BC) writing his Geography of the World , in which he showed a detailed knowledge of the region of Epirus and surrounding areas.
[4][5][6] This fragment has been preserved in an excerpt from the toponymic dictionary Ethnica (Εθνικά) by Stephanus of Byzantium (6th century AD), under the heading "Δέξαροι".
"The Dexari, a Chaonian people neighbouring upon the Enchelei, as is stated by Hecataeus in his book about Europe, who lived under Mount Amyron."
[8] In the Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax (4th century BC) some scholars have corrected Καρία Karia with Δεξαρία Dexaria, thus introducing a toponym that is derived from the ethnonym Dexaroi, hapax in Hecataeus' fragment.
It resembles the Illyrian personal names Dazos and Dassius and is also reflected in the toponym of Daksa island and the river Ardaxanos, which is mentioned by Polybius (2nd century BC) in the hinterland of modern Durrës and Lezhë.
[21] Keramopoullos (1953) argues the name Dassaretae is connected to Greek: Διός όρος-ορείται (Dios oros-oreitai, "Mountain of Zeus").
[24] Wilkes (1991) equates the Dexaroi with the Roman times Dassaretae and states that their cities were Pellion, Antipatrea, Chrysondyon, Gertus (or Gerous), Creonion.
[35] In 217 BC Illyrian Scerdilaidas advanced against Philip V of Macedonia through the region of Pelagonia and the Dassaretian territory capturing Antipatreia, Chrysondyon, and Gertus.
[38] Hammond has argued that before the reign of Philip II of Macedon, Illyrian tribes likely had occupied Dassaretis since no more information about Dexari is recorded and the siege of Pelium (335 B.C) was described as a campaign of Alexander in Illyria.
[45] J. J. Wilkes has also equated the Chaonian Dexari with the Dassaretae, who according to Polybius possessed many towns, including Pellion, Antipatrea, Chrysondyon, Gertus (or Gerous), Creonion,[11] Tom Winnifrith (2020) states that the Illyrian tribes, including the Dassareti, bordered on peoples of Epirotic origins and dubious ethnicity like the Molossians and the Chaonians, and the Dassaretae were probably the same as Dexari.
[47] A possible Illyrian link of the Dassaretae faces many allegedly impenetrable issues in terms of epigraphic and archaeological evidence.
[49] Dassaretaean onomastics share similarities with those of ancient Macedonia in particular in the field of names based on divinities from the Greek pantheon, such as Apollodoros.