Epir was an ancient region that extended from the Acroceraune Mountains (near Vlora in today Albania)up to the  Gulf of Ambracia. Nonetheless  the boundaries of Epir  changed frequently; when its kings expanded in south, east or north.

The Pelasgo-Illyrian saint city Dodona.

The question of ethnicity of ancient and modern population of Epir still continue to be an object of disputes.  Some argues that Epirotes were of Greek descent, subsquently a Greek population. In other hand, a number of various scholars, historians, archaeologists affirms that people of Epir were not of Greek origin. A question arises immediately:  if they were not of Greek origin, what might been Epirotes? To which people belonged Epirotes?

In the light of ancient writings, the population of Epir was reckoned by all means as ‘barbarian’. So one is curious to know what did mean ‘barbarian”!?

“The word “barbarian” comes into English from Medieval Latin barbarinus, from Latin barbaria, from Latin barbarus, from the ancient Greek word βάρβαρος (bárbaros). The word is onomatopoeic, the bar-bar representing the impression of random hubbub produced by hearing a spoken language that one cannot understand, similar to blah blah, babble or rhubarb in modern English. Related imitative forms are found in other Indo-European languages, such as Sanskrit barbara-, “stammering” or “curly-haired. As a result this terms was used to describe or refering to non-Greek people.”

Starting by this principle that ‘Language determine ethnicity’ we should assume that Epirotes were of non-Greek ethnicity.

In the light of archaeology, the Epirotes seems to be related ethnically with Illyrians. A number of scholars asserted that Epir was Pelasgo-Illyrian land with an illyrian essence. While considering all medieval records, classical maps of this region and accounts of many European travalers , gives a sufficient room  about non-Greek character of Epir. Ancient and medieval records, archeaological findings, ethnological and antropological proofs gives right to Albanians to claim it. In this summary I would like to underline the important proofs supporting this theory.

Examples of BARBARIAN charachter of Epir:

“Hecataeus of Miletus says of the Peloponnesus that before the time of the Greeks it was inhabited by barbarians. Yet one might say that in the ancient times the whole of Greece was a settlement of barbarians, if one reasons from the traditions themselves: Pelops brought over peoples from Phrygia to the Peloponnesus that received its name from him; and Danaüs from Egypt; whereas the Dryopes, the Caucones, the Pelasgi, the Leleges, and other such peoples, apportioned among themselves the parts that are inside the isthmus — and also the parts outside, for Attica was once held by the Thracians who came with Eumolpus, Daulis in Phocis by Tereus, Cadmeia by the Phoenicians who came with Cadmus, and Boeotia itself by the Aones and Temmices and Hyantes. According to Pindar, there was a time when the Boeotian tribe was called “Syes.” Moreover, the barbarian origin of some is indicated by their names — Cecrops, Codrus, Aïclus, Cothus, Drymas, and Crinacus. And even to the present day the Thracians, Illyrians, and Epeirotes live on the flanks of the Greeks (though this was still more the case formerly than now); indeed most of the country that at the present time is indisputably Greece is held by the barbarians — Macedonia and certain parts of Thessaly by the Thracians, and the parts above Acarnania and Aetolia by the Thesproti, the Cassopaei, the Amphilochi, the Molossi, and the Athamanes — Epeirotic tribes.
~STRABO, GEOGRAPHY, Book VII, Chapter 7~

“From the Barbarians there were: 1000 Chaones witch had no King but 2 Prostates for 1 year Fotis and Nikanores. The Chaones are joint by Thesprotes wich have no King either. In the head of the Mollosians and the Atintanians was Sabylinthius, wich was the tutor of King Tharypa (yet still a child).There were also the Parauei with their King Oroides and 1000 Orestes.”

(~Thucydides, Peloponnesian War, . 2.80)

“…After the Epeirotes and the Illyrians, then, come the following peoples of the Greeks: the Acarnanians, the Aetolians, and the Ozolian Locrians…
~Strabo Geography Book VIII, Chapter 1, 1

“Ephorus says that, if one begins with the western parts, Acarnania is the beginning of Greece; for, he adds, Acarnania is the first to border on the tribes of the Epeirotes. But just as Ephorus, using the sea-coast as his measuring-line, begins with Acarnania (for he decides in favour of the sea as a kind of guide in his description of places…so it is proper that I too, following the natural character of the regions, should make the sea my counsellor”.
~Strabo Geography Book VIII, Chapter 1, 3

Scylax notes that only beyond Ambracia, the Peneus and the town or mountain of Homotion in Magnesia, had the Greeks begun to inhabit the region in a compact manner.

1774 Johann Thunmann:
On the History and Language of the Albanians and Vlachs”

Hope that you will not read hilarious attempts of Greeks to change the meaning of ‘Barbarian’ notion. One of them is Chatzidakis who believe that the term barbarian Macedonian is not used in an ethnological sense, but with a derogatory cultural meaning!!!!!!!! But how true is this?

The Greeks used the term as they encountered scores of different foreign cultures, including the Egyptians, Persians, Celts, Germans, Phoenicians, Etruscans, and Carthaginians. It, in fact, became a common term to refer to all foreigners.

If we start thinking in Chatzidakis wrong way, we will claim all of these peoples including: the Egyptians, Persians, Celts, Germans, Phoenicians, Etruscans and Carthaginians as ‘uncivilized Greeks’:)

For the sake of truth, we should repeat that:

“The prime function of the term ‘barbarian’ and its cognates ‘barbarous’, ‘barbarity’, etc, was to distinguish between those who were members of the observor’s own society and those who were not”
~THE FALL OF NATURAL MAN~ bY ANTHONY PAGDEN, 1986, PAGE 15

Now the question is what are the ethnic ties between Illyrians and Epirotes? How we can know that Epirotes were of Illyrian stock?

Firstly, there is no record from ancient writers about any ethnic division of Epirotes and Illyrians, or Epirotes and Macedonians. The ancient Greek writers identify all of peoples in north of Greece as barbarian, non-Greek. But in other side there are some important passages indicate about Illyrian-Epirotes ethnic closenes.

“The Amphilochians are Epeirotes; and so are the peoples who are situated above them and border on the Illyrian mountains, inhabiting a rugged country — I mean the Molossi, the Athamanes, the Aethices, the Tymphaei, the Orestae, and also the Paroraei and the Atintanes, some of them being nearer to the Macedonians and others to the Ionian Gulf. It is said that Orestes once took possession of Orestias — when in exile on account of the murder of his mother — and left the country bearing his name; and that he also founded a city and called it Argos Oresticum. But the Illyrian tribes which are near the southern part of the mountainous country and those which are above the Ionian Gulf are intermingled with these peoples; for above Epidamnus and Apollonia as far as the Ceraunian Mountains dwell the Bylliones, the Taulantii, the Parthini, and the Brygi.
(…) Then, because one tribe or another was always getting the mastery over others, they all ended in the Macedonian empire, except a few who dwelt above the Ionian Gulf. And in fact the regions about Lyncus, Pelagonia, Orestias, and elimeia, used to be called Upper Macedonia, though later on they were by some also called Free Macedonia. But some go so far as to call the whole of the country Macedonia, as far as Corcyra, at the same time stating as their reason that in tonsure, language, short cloak, and other things of the kind, the usages of the inhabitants are similar, although, they add, some speak both languages.”
(~Strabo, Geography, Book VII, Chapter 7)

Strabo tells that in his time (because he speak in present time) the Illyrians, Macedonians and Epirotes were the same people in language, culture and dress manner. These passages inspired Johan Von Hahn (the famous German Scholar) to pointed out that both of Illyrians, Epirotes and Macedonians were representatives of ancient Pelasgians; and that Albanians are the descedants of noble Pelasgians.

But the Ionian Gulf is part of what is now called the Adriatic Sea. The right side of this sea is formed by Illyria, and the left by Italy up to its head at Aquileia.

(Strabo, Geography, Book II, Chapter 5, 20)

The above geographical description of Ionian Sea by Strabo shows that its right side is formed by Illyria. Considering this important fact pointed out by Strabo, we obtain a conclusion that Illyria comprised also the whole region of Epir.

“In very early ages Epirus was inhabited, as I have before observed, by fourteen semibarbarous nations, intermingled with many Grecian colonies. North of these lay the still more rude and savage Ilyrians, with whom the Epirotic tribes became insensibly intermingled…After this scene of destruction the Epirotic nations were governed by Roman prefects, Macedonia being divided into four distinct provinces, called Macedonia the First, Second, Third, and Fourth; in which latter were comprised the Illyrian tribesf. When Augustus separated the provinces of the empire into Imperial, and Praetorian or Senatorial, he left amongst the latter class Macedonia and Illyria, with Epirus, which, conjointly with Acarnania, jEtolia, Thessaly, and the rest of Grecia Propria, formed the province of Achaia^. Tiberius took Macedonia and Achaia into the number of Imperial provinces!, but they were restored again to the senate by Claudius||. Under the reign of Constantine the Great, Illyricum and Epirus were comprised in the province of Pannonia and governed by an officer with the appellation of vice-praefect^f.
~Travels in Sicily, Greece & Albania
By Thomas Smart Hughes 1820*
page 4-8

If Epir was Greek land or epirotes were of Greek stock, then why Greeks estabilished colonies and settelments in ‘their own territory’???

Of course, we don’t deny Greek influence in Epir, but we refute with a plethora of evidences that this  ’Greek’ influence had any impact as to change the structure of ethnic composition of Epir. What we claim to show is that Greek influence was simply economical and cultural one which didn’t change the Illyrian character of whole Epir. For instance, centuries later  the Portugals colonized a number of countries across Africa and as a result Portugals spread their own economical, cultural and language influence toward the subjected  countries. One of these countries got affected by Portugese colonization was Mozambique. The official language used everywhere in Mozambique is Portoguese. But Portogals are not dumbs (like Greeks) as to claim Mozambique peoples as pure Portoguese.

“…Thracians, Paionians, Epirotes and Illyrians – were primarily non-urban peoples with more or less hellenized elites”
(~The Greek world after Alexander, 323-30 B.C. By Graham Shipley, page 111)

The ruling class (including the aristocracy) in Epir were bilingual that mean that they spoken two languages in the same time:

- The Illyrian as their own vernacular to communicate with mass of people.

- The Greek as second language in order to shown themselves as civilized people. Being Greek-speaker (no matter if you were not Greek) marked a credibility between other peoples. It is similiar as Russian aristocracy spoke the French language (as official language of the time).

Now let’s present a number of maps showing Epir as distinct from Greece.

Map showing Illyria/Albania and Epir as the same territory.

Source: Lesage Historical Atlas, page 6: Ancient Greece

A map showing Illyricum extending in wholly “Greece”

Map of Ancient Greece: The most  northern region of ancient Greece was Thessaly. The Epirus, as Macedonia, Thrace (and Illyria) is marked with the same colour which mean that both of these lands were foreign for Greeks.

As we can see from the legend of Map, both of Epir and Macedonia are depicted as inhabited by Barbarian peoples.

Important Quote: