European Kingdoms

Messapii (Italics / Illyrians)

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What are generally known as West Indo-European tribes arrived at the eastern edge of Central Europe around 2500 BC. Their northern group later became the proto-Celts of the Urnfield culture while the southern group seemingly migrated westwards and southwards, reaching Iberia, Illyria, and northern Italy.

Already further divided into semi-isolated tribes, they became more civilised in their habits and available forms of technology due to contact with southern Greeks and Etruscans. In the period between the eleventh to eighth centuries BC some of those groups in Illyria crossed by sea into the Italian peninsula and settled along the south-eastern coast.

Those who had entered peninsular Italy via the north Italian piedmont gradually migrated southwards to occupy much of the rest of eastern and central Italy. These tribes all formed part of a general group which are known as Italics, seemingly part of the main population of West Indo-Europeans prior to the emergence of Celtic culture.

The Messapii (or Messapians) group of Italics during the Italian Iron Age were located in the central and southern areas of the modern region of Apulia. They were neighboured to the north by the Peucetii, and to the west by the Iapyges. Prior to Roman domination much of their territory in the 'heel' of Italy was known as Calabria.

Unlike the other Italic tribes in the rest of the peninsula, the Messapii and their neighbours to the north, the Peucetii, were probably of Illyrian origin. Both were sub-branches of the Iapyges, who were thought to have migrated into the Italian peninsula from the Illyrian coastline. They probably crossed the Adriatic Sea at its narrowest point, from modern Albania, to arrive in south-eastern Italy.

This migration appears to have taken place between the eleventh and tenth centuries BC, with the Messapii settling the central southern section of Apulia, between the Greek settlements of Tarentum (Taranto) and Brandusium (Brindisi).

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(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information by Edward Dawson, from Samnium and the Samnites, E T Salmon, from Researches into the Physical History of Mankind, Vol 3, Issue 1, James Cowles Prichard, from Pliny's Natural History in Thirty-Seven Books, Volumes 1-3, Pliny (the Elder), from An Historical Geography of Europe, Norman J G Pounds (Abridged Version), from The Roman History: From Romulus and the Foundation of Rome to the Reign of the Emperor Tiberius, Velleius Paterculus, J C Yardley, & Anthony A Barrett, from A Genetic Signal of Central European Celtic Ancestry, David K Faux, from The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World, David W Anthony, from The History of Rome, Volume 1, Titus Livius (translated by Rev Canon Roberts), from The Histories, Herodotus (Penguin, 1996), from Encyclopaedia Britannica (Eleventh Edition, Cambridge (England), 1910), from Encyclopaedia of the Roman Empire, Matthew Bunson (1994), from Paleo-Balkan Languages, V Neroznak, from Ancient Languages of the Balkans, R Katicic, from The Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language, M Fasmer, from Basic Romance Linguistics, E Bourcier, from Research in Popular Latin and its links with Romance languages, N Korletyanu, from Brief Historical Grammar of the Latin Language, W Lindsey, from The Corpus of Oscan Inscriptions, I Tsvetaev, from A Historical Grammar of the Latin Language, I Tronsky, and from External Links: The Beaker phenomenon and the genomic transformation of northwest Europe (Nature), and Massive migration from the steppe was a source for Indo-European languages in Europe (Nature.com), and Indo-European Chronology - Countries and Peoples, and Indo-European Etymological Dictionary, J Pokorny, and Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, William Smith (1854, Perseus Digital Library), and The Natural History, Pliny the Elder (John Bostock, Ed), and Geography, Strabo (H C Hamilton & W Falconer, London, 1903, Perseus Online Edition), and L'Arbre Celtique (The Celtic Tree, in French), and Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz or Dictionnaire Historique de la Suisse or Dizionario Storico dell Svizzera (in German, French, and Italian respectively), and Le Alpi (Università di Trento), and Pleiades (Ancient World Mapping Center and Institute for the Study of the Ancient World).)

11th century BC

The pre-Italic settlement of Gnapia, first founded in the fifteenth century BC during the Bronze Age, is invaded and settled by the Iapyges as they occupy large tracts of territory in south-eastern Italy.

Climate-induced drought in the thirteenth century BC created great instability in the entire eastern Mediterranean region, resulting in mass migration in the Balkans, as well as the fall of city states and kingdoms further east (click or tap on map to view full sized)

8th century BC

With the beginning of the Italian Iron Age, signs of territorial variation begin to emerge, although the gradual differentiation between a western area, an eastern area, and an Alpine area will only acquire more consistency in the seventh century BC. This is the Golasecca I A period.

The Messapii appear to emerge out of the Iapyges collective with an identity of their own. Their southern town of Gnapia, as well as the entire region of Salento in the Italian 'heel', flourishes between now and the third century BC, at which time it is subjugated by the Roman republic.

The Messapii frequently find themselves in conflict with the Spartan settlers of nearby Tarentum (modern Taranto), following its founding in 706 BC. The Greek colonies frequently impose local authority on broader tribal elements within the peninsula.

This map shows not only the greatest extent of Etruscan influence in Italy, during the seventh to fifth centuries BC, including the Campania region to the south (click or tap on map to view on a separate page)

6th century BC

Although the site of Rudiae (close to modern Lecce) shows signs of settlement from the late ninth or early eighth centuries BC, in the late sixth century BC it is developed to become a much more important settlement.

Although Rudiae flourishes under the Messapii, once they are defeated by Rome it fades and is no more than a small village by the first century AD, with nearby Lupiae (Lecce) flourishing at its expense.

Some scholars doubt this site is even ancient Rudiae at all, locating the settlement on the Calabrian mountains (based on Ovid) or to the north of Brandusium (modern Brindisi, based on Pliny the Elder).

473 BC

Hoping to follow up on a victory of 500 BC, the Spartan Greeks of Tarentum (modern Taranto) and its ally, Rhegion (modern Reggio Calabria), attempt to take control of one or more of the towns of the Messapii and Peucetii.

However, the Italo-Illyrian tribes are able to hold them off and inflict a serious defeat upon them, thanks to the superiority of their tribal cavalry (according to Herodotus). The war against Tarentum continues until 467 BC.

The settlement of Gnapia near the modern town of Fasano in Apulia, southern Italy, became an important border town under the Messapii, with their Peucetii neighbours to the north

412 BC

During the Second Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, the failure of the former city and its allied corps of Messapian archers to take the Corinthian colony of Syracuse and the subsequent loss of thousands of troops almost brings the city and its empire to its knees.

325 - 304 BC

Rome fights the Second Samnite War against the Samnites in 325 BC. During this period the Marsi ally themselves to the Romans, while the Dauni, Iapyges, Lucani, Messapii, and Peucetii side with the Samnites.

The city of Canusium is lost in 318 BC when it sides with Rome, while the Peucetii frontier town of Silvium is apparently under Samnite control when it is seized by Rome in 306 or 305 BC.

The Peucetii settlement of Bitonto appears to be a Roman ally throughout the war. When the Samnites are finally defeated, so are their allies, and all of them are subjugated by Rome. This period proves to be the end for the Golasecca culture within the Italian Iron Age.

Objects which have been found in tombs in the Como region of Italy testify to the progressive opening up by the Golasecca people to exchanges with the transalpine world to the north and the central-Italic Etruscan area to the south

277 - 275 BC

Pyrrhus of Epirus conquers Syracuse in 277 BC, and holds it for two years, with support being given by the Messapii. His hard but costly fighting against Rome on the island brings his southern Balkans kingdom a brief sense of importance. It is also his costly victories which inspire the term 'pyrrhic victory', as a victory with such high loses is no real victory at all.

267/266 BC

Perhaps spurred on by the recent Messapii support of Epirus, Rome attacks and conquers the Messapii and the former Greek settlement of Brandusium (modern Brindisi). The tribe is rarely mentioned in the historical record after this, and is gradually submerged by Latin culture.

By 217 BC the Messapian town of Hyria (modern Oria or Orra) is minting its own coins, which frequently feature the legendary character of Iapagus, founder of the Iapyges.

Italo-Illyrian pottery was at its height between about 800-350 BC, albeit with significant Greek influences, and the vessels shown here date to the third quarter of that period, the 'Subgeometric II' of 550-450 BC

218 - 202 BC

The Second Punic War is fought against Carthage. Rome is aided by its Etruscan, Picene, and Umbrian forces, but Italy is invaded by Hannibal Barca and a Roman army is massacred at the Battle of Cannae (in the heart of Peucetii territory), killing sixty thousand.

The Roman survivors are welcomed into nearby Canusium. The final stages of the war in Italy are fought out at Monte Gargano, in the northernmost part of the modern region of Apulia and the heart of Dauni territory.

When the Carthaginians withdraw, Rome is able finally to capture and hold the ports of Brundisium (Brindisi, on the eastern coast) and Tarentum (Taranto), both of which border the territory of the Messapii. This establishes full Roman dominion over the south-east of Italy.

The city of Carthage existed in its original glory for at least four hundred and twenty-eight years before it was destroyed by the Romans - and possibly another two centuries before that as a developing colony which was founded by Phoenicians

91 - 89 BC

The Marsi fight the Social War against Rome in which Rome's allies strive for, and are eventually granted, citizenship. The Frentani, Latins and Umbri are also granted citizenship, although they play a smaller role in the war, with the Umbri joining the rebels late and agreeing terms with Rome early on.

The regions of Apulia and Calabria become production houses of grain and oil during the imperial age, and form the main export route for the eastern provinces. Thereafter, the Messapii are gradually absorbed within Roman Italy and lose their individual identity.