Taulantii
[8] According to a mythological tradition reported by Appian (2nd century AD), the Taulantii were among the South-Illyrian tribes that took their names from the first generation of the descendants of Illyrius, the eponymous ancestor of all the Illyrian peoples.
[14][15][16] The Taulantii lived on the southeastern Adriatic coast of southern Illyria and the Ionian Sea (modern Albania), dominating at various times much of the plain between the rivers Drin and Aous.
[17] In earlier times the Taulantii inhabited the northern part of the Drin river;[18] later they lived within and around the sites of Epidamnos-Dyrrhachion and Apollonia.
[21] The Parthini probably have been part of the Taulantian peoples before their first appearance as Roman allies in the late 3rd century BC,[7] neighboring to the east the Dassareti, and to the north-east the Penestae.
[22][23] The Abri or Abroi, a tribe mentioned by Hecataeus (6th century BC) as neighbors of the Chelidonioi likely also have been part of the Taulantian peoples.
After their occupation of the site, Illyrian tribes most likely left the eastern coast of the Adriatic for Italy departing from the region of Epidamnos-Dyrrhachion for the best crossing to Bari, in Apulia.
2nd-century AD) recorded the supposed oldest known king in Illyria, Galaurus or Galabrus, a ruler of the Taulantii who reigned in the latter part of the 7th century BC.
[32] Whether or not this account is historically reliable, and despite Polyaenus' interest in the anecdote, it implies the widespread thought throughout antiquity about a significant animosity between the Macedonians and the Illyrians as early as the 7th century BC, if the consensus in modern scholarship in dating the reigning period of Argaeus I is correct.
[35][28][34] After the defeat and expulsion of the Liburni from the region, the Corcyreans were welcomed in 627 BC on the Illyrian coast in the city of Epidamnos mixing with the local population and establishing the larger trading system to the port.
[27][35][36] The double name was determined by the presence of a pre-existing Illyrian settlement presumably located on the hills (Epidamnos), while the plain, formerly occupied by a lagoon communicating with the sea, provided favorable conditions that created a natural harbor (Dyrrachion).
[41] [38] Although the Epidamnians established the figure of a trade magistrate (poletes) to avoid the influence of the native people surrounding Epidamnos, it wasn't enough to prevent intervention of neighboring Illyrians in the internal affairs of the city.
[43][44][45] Glaucias had entered into an alliance and joined the cause of another Illyrian dynast, Cleitus son of Bardylis, who revolted against Alexander the Great, in the siege of Pelium (335 BC).
[47] The Taulantii were involved in the struggle between Macedonia and Epirus when the Illyrian king Glaukias offered asylum to the infant Pyrrhus after his father Aeacides was expelled from his kingdom among the Molossians.
[48][50] In the 290s and the 280s Pyrrhus established his dominion in southern Illyria, thanks to his long and close relations with Glaukias' family and to his marriage to the Illyrian princess Bircenna, daughter of Bardylis II.
[51] Beroea's marriage with Glaukias and Pyrrhus' links with the Illyrians probably point to long-standing barbarian connections of the regions of Illyria and Epirus.
From about 280 BC Glaukias'successor, Monunius, and the latter's successor and likely son, Mytilos, minted in Dyrrhachion silver and bronze coins respectively, bearing the king's name and the symbol of the city.
[56][57] For a similar reason Daorsi too gained immunitas, while the inhabitants of Scodra, Dassarenses and Seleptani, as well as other Illyrians, had to pay half of the tax.
Since the Taulantii were located in the hinterland of Dyrrhachium and Apollonia, Octavian's army was involved in the regional dominions that belonged to Mark Antony.
One of Octavian's aims in the Illyrian war was most likely to take control of the southeastern Adriatic harbours of Lissus, Dyrrhachium and Apollonia.
