Cities in ancient Illyria

Skopje is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It lies in the northern part of the country, in the Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, and is the political, economic, and cultural centre of the country. As of the 2021 census, the city had a population of 526,502. Skopje covers and includes both urban and rural areas, bordered by several municipalities and close to the borders of Kosovo and Serbia.

Durrës ( , ; ) is the second most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Durrës County and Durrës Municipality. It is one of Albania's oldest continuously inhabited cities, with roughly 2,500 years of recorded history. It is located on a flat plain along the Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast between the mouths of the Erzen and Ishëm at the southeastern corner of the Adriatic Sea. Durrës's climate is profoundly influenced by a seasonal Mediterranean climate.

Vlorë ( ; ; ) is the third most populous city of Albania and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surrounded by the foothills of the Ceraunian Mountains along the Albanian Adriatic and Ionian Sea Coasts. It experiences a Mediterranean climate, which is affected by the Ceraunian Mountains and the proximity to the Mediterranean Sea.

Elbasan ( , ; , ) is the fourth most populous city of Albania and seat of Elbasan County and Elbasan Municipality. It lies to the north of the river Shkumbin between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain in central Albania.

Berat (; ) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier.

Zadar ( , ), historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian, ; see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar serves as the seat of Zadar County and of the wider northern Dalmatian region. The city proper covers with a population of 75,082 , making it the second-largest city of the region of Dalmatia and the fifth-largest city in the country.

Niš (; , ; names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in the southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 178,976, while its administrative area has a population of 249,501 inhabitants.

Shkodër ( , ; ; historically known as Scodra or Scutari) is the fourth-most-populous city of Albania and the seat of Shkodër County and Shkodër Municipality. Shkodër has been continuously inhabited since the Early Bronze Age ( 2250–2000 BC), and has roughly 2,200 years of recorded history. The city sprawls across the Plain of Mbishkodra between the southern part of Lake Shkodër and the foothills of the Albanian Alps on the banks of the Buna, Drin and Kir rivers. Due to its proximity to the Adriatic Sea, Shkodër is affected by a seasonal Mediterranean climate with continental influences.

Osijek () is the largest city and the economic and cultural hub of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative seat of Osijek-Baranja County. It is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,313 recorded in the 2021 census. The city is situated on the southern bank of the Drava River, 25 km (16 mi) upstream from its confluence with the Danube, at an elevation of . Osijek is located 16 km (10 mi) west of the Croatia–Serbia border.

Lezhë (, ) is a city in the Republic of Albania and seat of Lezhë County and Lezhë Municipality. It is one of Albania's oldest continuously inhabited cities, with roughly 2,400 years of recorded history.

Kotor (, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian, ), is a town in Coastal region of Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,347 and is the administrative center of Kotor Municipality.

Prizren (, ; ) is the second most populous city and municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and district. It is located on the banks of the Prizren River between the foothills of the Sharr Mountains in southern Kosovo. Prizren experiences a continental climate with some mediterranean influences.

Budva (Cyrillic: Будва, or ) is a town in the Coastal region of Montenegro. It had 17,479 inhabitants as of 2023, and is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, known as the Budva Riviera, is the center of Montenegrin tourism, renowned for its well-preserved medieval walled city, sandy beaches, and diverse nightlife. Budva is 2,500 years old, which makes it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic coast.

Trogir () is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, with a population of 10,107 (2021) and a total municipal population of 12,393 (2021). The historic part of the city is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Čiovo. It lies west of the city of Split.

Krujë (; see also the etymology section) is a town and a municipality in north-central Albania. Located between Mount Krujë and the Ishëm River, the city is 20 km north of Tirana.

Ulcinj () is a town in the coastal region of Montenegro and the capital of Ulcinj Municipality. It has an urban population of 11,488.

Korčula () is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea. It has an area of , is long and on average wide, and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 15,522 inhabitants (2011) make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk. The population are almost entirely ethnic Croats (95.74%). The island is twinned with Rothesay in Scotland. It is known for Grk, a white wine that is only produced on the island and not exported due to limited production.

Senj is a town on the upper Adriatic coast in Croatia, in the foothills of the Mala Kapela and Velebit mountains.

ancient city in modern Albania

Novalja () is a town on the north of the island of Pag in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea. In recent times, Novalja has become famous because of the Zrće Beach.

Skradin is a small town in the Šibenik-Knin County of Croatia. It is located near the Krka river and at the entrance to the Krka National Park, from Šibenik and from Split. The main attraction of the park, Slapovi Krke, is a series of waterfalls, the biggest of which, Skradinski buk, was named after Skradin.

Perast () is a town in Coastal region of Montenegro. It is situated a few kilometres northwest of Kotor and is noted for its proximity to the islets of St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks.

Risan (Montenegrin: Рисан, ) is a town in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro. It traces its origins to the ancient settlement of Rhizon, the oldest settlement in the Bay of Kotor.

thumb|230px|right|Lumbarda harbour Lumbarda is a village and a municipality located on the eastern tip of the island of Korčula in Croatia, seven kilometers away from the town of Korčula. A road passing through a picturesque area of pine woods and olive groves connects these two places. Lumbarda is surrounded by sandy vineyards (famous white wine "Grk" produced from the native grape of the same name) and sandy beaches such as Vela Pržina, Bilin Žal and Tatinja. Lumbarda is a tourist centre, many of its 1,200 inhabitants are active in the local tourist service (private accommodation, tourist ex

Scupi (; ) is an archaeological site located between Zajčev Rid (Зајчев Рид 'Rabbit Hill') and the Vardar River, several kilometers from the center of modern Skopje in North Macedonia. A Roman military camp was founded here in the second century BC on the site of an older Dardanian settlement. It became later Colonia Flavia Aelia Scupi and many veteran legionnaires were settled there. A Roman town was founded in the time of Domitian (AD 81–96) and Scupi became the chief center for romanizing Dardania. It was abandoned in AD 518 during interregnum between Anastasius I Dicorus and Justin I after

Ulpiana was an ancient Roman city located in what is today Kosovo. It was also named Justiniana Secunda (, , ). Ulpiana is located in the municipality of Gračanica, 12 km southeast of Pristina. The Municipium Ulpiana or Iustiniana Secunda was proclaimed an archaeological park under the permanent protection of Kosovo by the Kosova Council for Cultural Heritage in 2016. The archaeological park has an area of 161.10 hectares and a surrounding protection zone of 96.23 hectares. Ulpiana was among the largest settlements in the Balkans in late antiquity.

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Daorson was the capital of the Illyrian tribe of the Daorsi (Ancient Greek Δαόριζοι, Δαούρσιοι; Latin Daorsei). The Daorsi lived in the valley of the Neretva River between 300 BC and 50 BC. They came very early into contact with Greek traders acquiring many facies of Greek civilization, and the town acquired a certain degree of Hellenization. After the peace treaty with Rome in 168/167 BC, the Daorsi minted their own coins.

settlement in the Town of Skradin, Šibenik-Knin County, Croatia

archaeological site in Montenegro

thumb|230px|Meteon (Labeatidis terrae), Roman times thumb|Remains of the old town of Meteon. thumb|230px|Church on the fortress. thumb|230px|Medieval Medun in the Upper Zeta, Middle Ages

thumb|Plan of the Zgërdhesh site thumb|City walls in Zgërdhesh thumb|Acropolis walls in Zgërdhesh

Amantia (; ) was an ancient city and the main settlement of the Amantes, traditionally located in southern Illyria in classical antiquity. In Hellenistic times the city was either part of Illyria or Epirus. In Roman times it was included within Epirus Nova, in the province of Macedonia. The site has been identified with the village of Ploçë, Vlorë County, Albania. Amantia was designated as an archaeological park on 7 April 2003 by the government of Albania.

thumb|Location of Delminium Delminium was an Illyrian city and the capital of Dalmatia which was located somewhere near today's Tomislavgrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina, under which name it also was the seat of a Latin bishopric (also known as Delminium).

Epidaurus (, ) or Epidauros was an ancient Greek colony founded sometime in the 6th century BC and renamed to Epidaurum during Roman rule in 228 BC, when it was part of the province of Illyricum and later of Dalmatia. It is located at present-day Cavtat in Croatia, 15 km (9 mi) south of Dubrovnik.

thumb|Nesactium thumb|Nesactium, Histrian vase thumb|Ruins of Nesactium

Kaninë is a settlement in the Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Vlorë. It is home to the Kaninë Castle.

Bassania was an Illyrian city that came under Roman control during the Illyrian Wars. It was located close to the ancient city of Lissus in southern Illyria, modern Albania. The inhabitants of the city were called Bassanitae. The time when the Bassanitae became socii of the Romans is still unknown. Bassania is believed to be located near the village of Bushat, in Shkodër, Albania.

Dimale or Dimallum (Illyrian: Διμάλη /Dimálē; Ancient Greek: Διμάλη or Διμάλλον; Latin: Dimallum) was a town in southern Illyria in classical antiquity which was situated in the vicinity or within the territory of the Parthini, an Illyrian tribe. It was built on a hill of 450 m above sea level, in the hinterland of Apollonia, about 30 km from the eastern coast of the Adriatic. It is located in today Krotinë, Berat County, Albania.

Damastion was an ancient city located somewhere in the west-central Balkans, known for its silver coins dating back to the 4th century BC. It is attested only in Strabo who says that the city had silver-mines and locates it in Illyria. The ancient author reports that the city was under the authority of the Illyrian tribes of Dyestes and Enchelei-Sesarethii, and that Aegina colonized it. At 356–358 B.C. the mines came under the control of Macedon.

Vlashnjë (; ) is a village in the Prizren, Kosovo. It has 1,322 inhabitants as of 2024. Vlashnjë is a multi-layered settlement and site area. Archaeological excavations have identified habitation and use of the area since the Neolithic era. The rock art paintings at Mrrizi i Kobajës (late Neolithic-early Bronze Age) are the first find of prehistoric rock art in Kosovo. In late antiquity, Vlashnja was a fortified settlement part of the fortification network which Justinian I rebuilt along the White Drin in Dardania.

Uscana or Hyscana was a settlement of the Illyrian tribe of the Penestae in southern Illyria. It has been suggested that it is to be identified with Grazhdan Castle, near modern Peshkopi in northern Albania.

thumb|right|200px|Roman Military Barracks

Andetrium was an ancient city in Illyria, located in modern day Muć or Gornji Muć in the interior of Dalmatia, Croatia.

Desilo is an underwater archaeological site in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located near the Neretva (or Narenta) river and the Croatian border. The site was first discovered in the late 20th century, but Desilo's history can be traced as far back as ancient times. Investigations led by Professor Snjezana Vasilj of the University of Mostar and her archaeological team, uncovered in 2007 many sunken boats at the bottom of the small lake in Desilo valley. The archaeologists believe these boats to be Illyrian ships, dating back to the first and second centuries B.C. Further excavations in 2008

Ancient settlement in Albania

Rhizon was the capital of the Illyrian kingdom under the Ardiaei. During the Roman rule it was known as Rhizinium. Rhizon is the oldest settlement in the Bay of Kotor and the modern town of Risan (modern Montenegro) stands near the old city.

thumb|300px|Map of Pannonia Secunda province with major towns, including Bassianae Bassianae or Bassiana (Serbian: Basijana or Басијана) was an important ancient Roman town in Pannonia (today Syrmia region in Vojvodina province, Serbia). It was located near present-day Donji Petrovci, a village in the Ruma municipality. Bassianae was the second largest town in Syrmia, after Sirmium. It was located on a road that connected Sirmium and Singidunum.

Tentative World Heritage site

Promona was an ancient city of the Illyrians in the territory of the Delmatae. It is located near the modern-day village of Tepljuh, north of Drnis.

thumb|Walls of the acropolis Zgërdhesh is an archeological site in Albania. It is located south of the road from Fushë-Kruja to Kruja. Zgërdhesh is somewhat of a mystery because it is unmentioned in ancient sources. Some scholars believe, however, that it may be the site of ancient Albanopolis, referred to by Ptolemy. The Illyrian settlement here seems to have been founded in the 7th or 6th century BC and flourished in the 4th and 3rd centuries, before being abandoned in the 2nd century BC, when the inhabitants moved to Durrës and Lezha.

village in Albania

Arduba (Ancient Greek: Αρδουβαν, Latin: Arduba) was a settlement of the Illyrian tribe of the Daesitiates in Illyria. Following the Roman invasion, the settlement was included in the Roman province of Dalmatia. Arduba was located somewhere near the modern city of Zenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Most probably the royal city of Vranduk existed in the time of the Illyrians, under the name Arduba.

Vendenis was an ancient city in Dardania in Kosovo. Among three road stations that were constructed in Dardania during the Roman period, Statio Vindenis, is one of the identified stations. This archaeological site is set at the area of the village of Gllamnik. The site is located approximately south of Podujevë.