Illyricum
/ɪˈlɪr.ɪ.kəm/noun
A historical Roman province in the western Balkans.
Did you know?Illyricum is the Latin form of a region-name tied to the ancient Illyrians, and Roman writers used it for a strategically vital border zone that helped shape emperors, armies, and the empire’s eastern edge.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἰλλυριοί (Illyrioi)
“The Illyrians, a group of peoples on the western Balkans”
Latin
Latin
Illyricum
“The land of the Illyrians; the Roman-designated region in the western Balkans”
Late Republic / Early Empire
Latin
provincia Illyricum
“A Roman administrative province on the Adriatic frontier”
Modern English
English
Illyricum
“A historical name for the Roman province and region in the western Balkans”