Illyrian Queen Teuta Who Supported Pirates And Their Devastating Raids

A. Sutherland  – MessageToEagle.com – Teuta was the regent of the kingdom of Ardiaei, an Illyrian tribe that dedicated themselves to sea-born piracy of the Adriatic trade roads.

She was the ruler of a part of the state with the capital established in Rhizon in 228-217 BC. Teuta contributed to the first Illyrian War that started in 229 BC.

Rhizon and Queen Teuta

On the Dalmatian coast of her country, pirates found comfortable ports and much support for their pirate activities. Teuta, also known as ‘ancient pirate queen’ was not a pirate herself but she considered piracy as an element of the economy, no less important than others.

After the death of her husband Agron (250–231 BC), the former king of the Ardiaei tribe in Illyria, she inherited the Ardiaean kingdom. Her ambition was to make Illyria stronger and more prosperous at any cost, so she launched an aggressive expansion policy and started treating the neighboring states with hostility. All means were acceptable and tolerated.

According to many in the region, she was a troublemaker and initiator of war. In his “Histories” a Greek historian Polybius (208 – c.125 BC), wrote that “she granted every ship in her navy a license that gave them permission to attack ships from other city-states—even city-states with which Illyria was currently at peace.”

Teuta openly supported the pirates bringing back immense spoils to Illyria and made many enemies tired by the pirates’ incursions, their looting, taking captives, and attacking cities at will and at any moment.

Powerful Ships Of Illyrians Endangered The Region

Teuta turned her whole fleet into pirates and encouraged them to plunder as much as they liked, on land or sea, because it was plundering for her country.

No fleet could withstand the Illyrians’ light, speedy, and extremely maneuverable vessels. As a result, the Adriatic was a dangerous place for all ships loaded with costly goods.

In 230 BC, Roman traders were killed during the pirate attack on Fenike in Epirus. The Illyrians, stationed in the vicinity, attacked Italian merchant ships.

The Illyrian dominance in the Adriatic became a dangerous threat to Rome’s supremacy. The Roman territories were situated in the close vicinity of the raids that disrupted trade between Italy and Greece.

Queen TeutaIllyrian Queen Teuta. source

This time Rome reacted to the Illyrian pirate activity by sending deputies.

Roman representatives sent to the queen for compensation were very badly received. They also demanded an end to all pirate activities.

Their audience was not very successful, and one of them died while another was in captivity.

According to Polybius, II, 1.,” Teuta, during the whole interview, listened to them in a most arrogant and overbearing manner, and when they had finished speaking, she said she would see to it that Rome suffered no public wrong from Illyria, but that, as for private wrongs, it was contrary to the custom of the Illyrian kings to hinder their subjects from winning booty from the sea…”

In other words, she meant that piracy was a lawful trade and that her government had no right to interfere with it.

War On Illyria – Roman Army Crosses The Adriatic

In the Illyrian Wars of 229 BC, 219 BC, and 168 BC, Rome suppressed the piracy that had made the Adriatic Sea unsafe for Roman commerce.

This was the first case in Roman history when the Roman army crossed the Adriatic. Teuta wanted to warn the Romans by taking the island of Corcyra but the Roman pressure was too overwhelming.

See also:

First Known Ancient Palace Of Illyrian Kings Discovered In The Capital Of Queen Teuta

Cheng I Sao: Dangerous Female Pirate Whose Strict Code Of Laws Kept Pirates Subordinated And Successful

Sayyida Al Hurra – Feared And Respected Pirate Queen Of Morocco Had No-One To Turn At The End

Artemisia I Of Caria – Pirate Queen And Ally Of Xerxes I Was Loyal To No-One Except Herself

Finally, in 228 BC, her troops had no supplies and fortifications were not able to hold against the siege. She was forced to give up her fight.

An army consisting of ca 20,000 troops, 200 cavalry units and an entire Roman fleet of 200 ships were sent to conquer Illyria.

Teuta was besieged 227 BC and finally forced to capitulate to Rome. At last, she understood that there was no chance in the war with Rome and asked for peace.

Conditions Were Almost Humiliating

Teuta had to give up almost all of her kingdom except the area around her headquarters in Shkodra (one of the most ancient cities in the Balkans, founded by the Illyrians in the 4th century BC), and promise never to sail out to sea south of this city.

Polybius wrote that Teuta had to pay an annual fixed tribute, acknowledge Rome’s supremacy and surrender her prisoners. She never apologized for her own crimes, instead, she only made an apology for acts of piracy for which was her husband responsible.

With two other campaigns, the Roman Republic subdued the Illyrians during the 2nd century BC. When Teuta later protested to her new position, she lost the power forever.

Not much is known about her fate. According to legends, Teuta ended her life by throwing herself from Orjen Peak. Her stepson Pinnes finally became king but never ruled. He died suddenly in 217 BC at the age of 15.

Written by – A. Sutherland  – MessageToEagle.com Senior Staff Writer

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References:

Waterfield R. Taken at the Flood: The Roman Conquest of Greece

Polybius, II, 1

(1) Duncombe, Laura Sook. Pirate Women

Raleigh W. The History of the World in Five Books