Parthini

TheParthini,PartiniorPartheniwere anIllyrian tribethat lived in the inlands of southernIllyria(modernAlbania). They likely were located in theShkumbinvalley controlling the important route between theAdriatic SeaandMacedonia,which corresponded to theVia EgnatiaofRoman times.Consequently, their neighbours to the west were theTaulantiiand to the east theDassaretiiin the region ofLychnidus.^[1]

Name

The Parthini often appears in ancient accounts describing theIllyrian WarsandMacedonian Wars.Their name was written inAncient Greekas Παρθῖνοι,Parthînoi,Παρθηνοι,Parthenoi,ΠαρθεηνᾶταιPartheēnâtaiand inLatinasParthiniorPartheni.They are mentioned byLivy,Caesar,Strabovii.;Appian,Illyr.1;Dion Cass.xli. 49;Cic.in Pis.40;Pomp. Mela,ii. 3. § 11;Plin.iii. 26.^[2]

According to a mythological tradition reported byAppian(2nd century AD), the Parthini were among the South-Illyriantribes that took their names from the first generation of the descendants ofIllyrius,the eponymous ancestor of all theIllyrian peoples.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Geography

The Parthini most likely inhabited the area between the hinterland ofDyrrhachiumat theTiranaplane in the north, and the hinterland of Apollonia at the Apsus river (Seman) in the south.^[2]Their territory likely included theShkumbinvalley, hence they controlled the important route between theAdriatic SeaandMacedonia,which corresponded to theVia EgnatiaofRoman times.^[1]Initially, the Parthini may have held the lands around Epidamnus-Dyrrhachium, but later they were probably pushed more inland by theTaulantiilosing their coastal holdings.^[6]

A walled city built in the 4th century BC at the latest has been found on theGradishtëplateau 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 ofDimalewas situated in the vicinity or within the territory of the Parthini.^[8]Parthuswas a settlement of the Parthini.^[9]

Culture

Language

The idiom spoken by the Parthini is included in the southernIllyrianonomastic 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]

Religion

The Parthini worshiped a supreme god recognized throughinterpretatio romanaas 'JupiterParthinus'.^[13]It is attested inLatinepigraphic material as I(upiter) O(ptimus) M(aximus) Partinus.^[14]

History

Epidamnos-
Dyrrhachion •

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 theRomanwars inIllyriaandMacedonia,229 BCE,but as friends rather than foes of the Romans, having submitted at an early period to their arms. (Polyb.ii. 11;Livyxxix. 12.) After the death ofPhilip,king ofMacedon,they appear to have been added to the dominions ofPleuratus,anIllyrianprince allied to the Romans. (Polyb. xviii. 30; Liv. xxx. 34, xliv. 30.) Their principal town wasParthus(Πάρθος,Steph. B.s. v.), which was taken byCaesarin 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 betweenLissusand Epidamnus. Livy mentions (xxix. 12) two other fortresses:EugeniumandBargulum.

Economy

Located in the inlands of southernIllyria,the Parthini controlled the important route between theAdriatic SeaandMacedonia,which corresponded to theVia EgnatiaofRoman times.^[1]

Ancient historical sources testify agricultural economy among the Parthini, who were attested to have cultivated corn inRoman times.^[15]During theGreat Roman Civil Warthe Parthini were obliged to deliver their corn supply forPompey's troops. The situation changed with Caesar's arrival inIllyria.Once he had landed inPalaesteon theCeraunian Mountains,the Illyrian communities, which were garrisoned by Pompey and theSenate,welcomed Caesar.^[16]

References

^^a ^b ^cCabanes 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). "
^^a ^bJaupaj 2019,p. 70.
^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".
^Šašel Kos 2004,p. 502.
^Mesihović & Šačić 2015,pp. 23–24.
^Stocker 2009,p. 217
^Lippert & Matzinger 2021,p. 102.
^Šašel Kos 2005,p. 406.
^Šašel Kos 2005,p. 282.
^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; theDelmataeand thePannoniito 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."
^Miraj 1992,p. 145.
^Ceka 2001,p. 5.
^Shpuza 2009,p. 92.
^Nicols 1992,p. 145.

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[Cabanes2007-1] Cabanes 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). "

[FOOTNOTEJaupaj201970-2] Jaupaj 2019,p. 70.

[FOOTNOTEPapazoglu1978213-3] 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".

[FOOTNOTEŠašel_Kos2004502-4] Šašel Kos 2004,p. 502.

[FOOTNOTEMesihovićŠačić201523–24-5] Mesihović & Šačić 2015,pp. 23–24.

[6] Stocker 2009,p. 217

[FOOTNOTELippertMatzinger2021102-7] Lippert & Matzinger 2021,p. 102.

[FOOTNOTEŠašel_Kos2005406-8] Šašel Kos 2005,p. 406.

[FOOTNOTEŠašel_Kos2005282-9] Šašel Kos 2005,p. 282.

[Polomé537-10] 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; theDelmataeand thePannoniito the northwest mus have constituted an ethnically and linguistically distinct group (KATIČIĆ, 1968: 367-8). "

[Šašel_Kos,117-11] 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. "

[12] 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."

[FOOTNOTEMiraj1992145-13] Miraj 1992,p. 145.

[FOOTNOTECeka20015-14] Ceka 2001,p. 5.

[FOOTNOTEShpuza200992-15] Shpuza 2009,p. 92.

[FOOTNOTENicols1992145-16] Nicols 1992,p. 145.

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