ILLYRICIIM (Gr. Innvnts, InnvniA) is the Roman name of a country whose limits in ancient times varied very considerably. In the 4th c. n.c. the Illyrians, who are the ancestors of the modern race generally known as Albanians (see ALBANIA), inhabited the whole eastern coast of the Adriatic sea and adjacent islands, with the western parts of Macedonia Its far as Epirus. Philip of Macedon conquered the country as far as the river Drilon (modern Drino), and thence arose the division into Illyr s Gr(eca and Illyris Barbara or Romana. The former, new Albania (q.v.), was incorporated with Macedonia. Illyris Barbara or Romano was diVided into Iapydia, Libiirnia, and Dahnatia. The Blyrians were much addicted to piracy, which soon brought them into collision with the Romans, and led to their subjugation about two centuries n.e. They made numerous efforts to shake off the Roman yoke, but were always defeated, and the country became a most important province of the Roman empire, comprising the territory represented in modern times by Croatia, Dalmatia, Herzegovina, Montenegro, nearly all Bosnia.
and a part of Albania. On the division of the Roman empire 11lyric= shared in the vicissitudes that followed that act. A decree of Napoleon, Oct. 14, 1809, gave the name of Illyrian provinces to Dalmatia, and other countries from the Adriatic sea to the Save, then belonging to the French empire. At his fall, these provinces were united as a kingdom to the Austrian empire, and some alterations were made in its boundaries, especially by the restoration to Hungary of what bad formerly belonged to it, and the annexation of the whole of Carinthia instead. The kingdom was divided into the two governments of Laihach and Triest, Laibaeh being tile capital, which arrangement subsisted till 1849, when it was subdivided, for administrative purposes, into the duchies of Carinthia (q.v.). Caruiola (q.v.). and the coast district, containing the counties of Gtirz (q.v.), Gradiska, and Istria (q.v.), with the city and territory of Triest (q,v.).