In Antiquity, Albania was largely inhabited by the Illyrians, an Indo-European population, ethnic predecessors of modern Albanians. The following list lays out all attested ancient toponyms in the territory of Albanian Republic and their corresponding modern location. In a chronological sense, the settlements are grouped into two groups: those established before 167 B.C.E. and those after 167 B.C.E. The year 167 B.C.E. marks the full Roman conquest of the Albanian territories. Other names include ancient hydronyms (rivers flowing in Albanian territory and lakes) and toponyms of mountains and other geographical formations.
Ancient Name (Latin) | Ancient Name (Alternative) | Modern Corresponding Location | Lat. | Long. | Start Date | Late Date | Ancient Region | Nature of Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ancient Settlements | ||||||||
Absus | Apsos | Seman | 40.889230 | 19.828590 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station |
Acrolissus | Acrolissos | Mali i Shelbuemit | 41.765720 | 19.682510 | -330 | 300 | town | |
Ad Acroceraunia | Qafa e Llogarasë | 40.196940 | 19.597500 | -30 | 640 | Chaonia | station | |
Ad Dianam | Babie | 41.159800 | 20.301880 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Ad Novas | Shënepremte | 41.029590 | 19.543880 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Ad Picaria | Ad Picarias; Burnium | Puka | 42.049920 | 19.899970 | -30 | 640 | station | |
Ad Quintum | Bradashesh | 41.094200 | 20.015500 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Albanopolis | Zgërdhesh | 41.476000 | 19.777600 | -30 | 640 | Albii | town | |
Amaltheum | Malathrea/Mursi | 39.708383 | 20.076857 | -30 | 640 | Presaiba | private estate | |
Amantia | Plloçë | 40.378700 | 19.697400 | -330 | 300 | Amantia | town | |
Antigonea | Antigoneia | Lekli | 40.096700 | 20.224000 | -330 | 300 | Chaonia | town |
Antipatreia | Berat | 40.707800 | 19.945000 | -330 | 640 | Dassaretia/Dassaretis | town | |
Apollonia | Pojan | 40.721500 | 19.472700 | -750 | 640 | Apollonia | town | |
Argyros | Gjirokastër | 40.073540 | 20.140490 | -330 | -30 | Chaonia | town | |
Asparagium | Rrogozhinë | 41.076418 | 19.666687 | -330 | 300 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Aulon | Vlorë | 40.484900 | 19.473200 | -30 | 640 | Amantia | town | |
Bantia | Korçë | 40.616367 | 20.777786 | -330 | 640 | Dassaretia/Dassaretis | town | |
Bargulium | Gurëzeza (?) | 40.619784 | 19.630059 | -330 | -30 | Byliaca | town | |
Bassania | Bassanitae | Pllanë | 41.698552 | 19.697380 | -330 | -30 | town | |
Beue | Blacë | 40.844597 | 20.767228 | -330 | 300 | Enchelei/Encheleana/; Dassaretia | town | |
Brysaka | Gradishtë/Broshkë (?) | 40.970708 | 19.910028 | -330 | -30 | Parthini/Taulantii | town | |
Buthrotum | Bouthroton | Butrint | 39.745600 | 20.020600 | -750 | 640 | Presaiba | town |
Bylis | Byllis | Hekal | 40.543000 | 19.738500 | -330 | 640 | Byliaca | town |
Candabia | Qukës | 41.083320 | 20.433330 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Chimaira | Himarë | 40.116700 | 19.733300 | -30 | 640 | Chaonia | town | |
Cinna | Koplik | 42.222950 | 19.431270 | -30 | 640 | Labeatia | station | |
Creveni | Vau i Dejës | 42.008953 | 19.642706 | -30 | 640 | Spath/Spas-Drin | station | |
Claudanon | Urakë | 41.065800 | 20.583620 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Clodiana | Mafmutaga | 41.041470 | 19.796370 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | town | |
Cnidus | Shtërmen | 41.006617 | 20.015480 | -330 | 300 | Parthini/Taulantii/; Dassaretia | town | |
Codrion | Irmaj | 40.851463 | 20.107244 | -330 | 300 | Parthini/Taulantii | town | |
Corragum | N/A | -330 | 300 | Byliaca | town | |||
Creonium | N/A | -330 | 300 | Dassaretia/Dassaretis | town | |||
Deabolis | Zvezdë | 40.719890 | 20.888090 | -30 | 640 | Dassaretia/Dassaretis | town | |
Dimal | Dimalion | Krotinë | 40.732200 | 19.829600 | -330 | 300 | Byliaca | town |
Draudacum | Grazhdan (?) | 41.611016 | 20.476202 | -330 | 300 | Grabaei | town | |
Dyrrachium | Epidamnos | Durrës | 41.316400 | 19.444900 | -750 | 640 | Dyrrachium | town |
Enkeleana | Pogradec | 40.901280 | 20.655713 | -330 | 640 | Enchelei/Encheleana | town | |
Eugenium | Margëlliçi (?) | 40.671766 | 19.663065 | -330 | 300 | Byliaca | town | |
Euia | N/A | -330 | -30 | Dassaretia/Dassaretis | town | |||
Gabuleum | Gabuleo | Kukës | 42.080421 | 20.414249 | -30 | 640 | Pirustae | station |
Genesis | Shtodër/Peqin | 41.153560 | 19.610440 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Gerus | N/A | -330 | 300 | Dassaretia/Dassaretis | town | |||
Grandavia | Spathar | 41.158230 | 20.331020 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Hadrianopolis | Sofratikë | 39.996400 | 20.224700 | -330 | 640 | Chaonia | town | |
Hekatompedon | Saraqinishtë | 40.252600 | 20.078200 | -30 | 300 | Chaonia | town | |
Ioustinianoupolis | Bregu i Melanit, Nepravishtë | 39.995160 | 20.272810 | 300 | 640 | Chaonia | town | |
Kestria | Çiflig | 39.682000 | 20.122000 | -550 | -30 | Presaiba | town | |
Lissus | Lezhë | 41.783000 | 19.649000 | -330 | 640 | Ardiaei | town | |
Maindraia | Dritas/Karalibeu | 39.821161 | 20.067086 | -330 | 300 | Presaiba | town | |
Marusio | N/A | -30 | 300 | Dyrrachium | station | |||
Nikaea | Nikaia | Klos | 40.949900 | 20.016800 | -550 | 640 | Byliaca | town |
Noutria | Bushat (?) | 41.960007 | 19.534482 | -330 | -30 | Ardiaei | town | |
Nymphaeum | Nymphaion | Shëngjin | 41.815000 | 19.586000 | -330 | -30 | Ardiaei | town |
Nymphaion | Nymphaeum | Selenicë | 40.535866 | 19.637375 | -550 | 640 | Apollonia | town |
Olympe | Mavrovë | 40.410562 | 19.587889 | -330 | 640 | Amantia | town | |
Omphalion | Libohovë | 40.033300 | 20.266700 | -330 | 640 | Chaonia | town | |
Onchesmus | Onchesmos | Sarandë | 39.883200 | 19.996800 | -550 | 640 | Presaiba/Chaonia | town |
Orgyssos | Orgessus | N/A | -330 | -30 | Byliaca | town | ||
Orikum | Orikon | Orikumi | 40.319000 | 19.429700 | -330 | 640 | Orikia | town |
Ottolobus | Maliq | 40.710816 | 20.697191 | -330 | 300 | Dassaretis/Dassaretia | town | |
Palaeste | Palasë | 40.166010 | 19.623360 | -330 | 300 | Chaonia | station | |
Parthus | Parthos | Shirgjan (?) | 41.053215 | 20.051615 | -330 | 640 | Pathini/Taulantii | town |
Panormus | Panormos | Porto Palermo | 40.070000 | 19.778000 | -30 | 640 | Chaonia | town/port |
Pelion | Pelium | Goricë | 40.641300 | 20.959880 | -330 | -30 | Dassaretis/Dassaretia | town |
Petralba | Petrela | 41.255162 | 19.854408 | 300 | 640 | Pathini/Taulantii | town | |
Phoenice | Phoinike | Finiq | 39.913900 | 20.056600 | -750 | 640 | Chaonia | town |
Pistum | Ishmi | 41.516170 | 19.737160 | -30 | 640 | Albii | station | |
Pons Servili | Kotodesh/Fusha e Kotodeshit | 41.052110 | 20.576190 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Scampis | Elbasan | 41.112900 | 20.018100 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Scodra | Skodra | Shkodër | 42.047200 | 19.494900 | -330 | 640 | Labeatia | town |
Stefanaphana | Donofrosë | 40.767110 | 19.787290 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Stefana | Qesar | 40.598040 | 19.542670 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Thronion | Kaninë | 40.443000 | 19.520000 | 300 | 640 | Amantia | town | |
Treiecto | Mirakë | 41.167150 | 20.224800 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Tres Tabernae | Karkavec (?) | 41.058692 | 20.481643 | -30 | 640 | Parthini/Taulantii | station | |
Hydronyms (Rivers & Lakes) | ||||||||
Aoos | Aous | Vjosë | river | |||||
Apsus | Apsos | Seman | river | |||||
Ardaxanus | Ardaxanos | Mat/Fan | river | |||||
Argyas | Polyanthos | Shushicë | river | |||||
Barbanna | Bunë | river | ||||||
Bevus | Mborjes | river | ||||||
Brygeis | Prespa (Madhe & Vogël) | lake | ||||||
Clausala | Kir | river | ||||||
Eordaea | Eordaikos | Devolli | river | |||||
Genusus | Shkumbini | river | ||||||
Ismareus | Ishmi | river | ||||||
Kelydnos | Dukati | river | ||||||
Labeatis | Liqeni i Shkodrës | lake | ||||||
Lychnidus | Liqeni i Ohrit | lake | ||||||
Mathis | Mat | river | ||||||
Pelodes Limen | Liqeni i Butrintit | lake | ||||||
Ululeus Dyrrhacii | Erzen | river | ||||||
Other Ancient Toponyms: Mountains & More | ||||||||
Acroceraunia Pr. | Kepi i Gjuhëzës/Karaburun | 40.417175 | 19.300033 | cape | ||||
Amyron | Mali i Tomorrit | 40.623646 | 20.176085 | mountain | ||||
Aoi Stena | Gryka e Vjosës | 40.303535 | 20.160917 | gorge | ||||
Asnaus Mount | Nëmërckë; Goliku | 40.267419 | 20.116667 | mountain | ||||
Boion | Gramoz & Smolikë | 40.349852 | 20.775716 | mountain | ||||
Boreas Dyrrachi/Dyrrachium Mount | Mali i Durrësit | 41.333079 | 19.424167 | mountain | ||||
Candaviae | Candavia | Mali i Polisit | 41.113600 | 20.313600 | mountain | |||
Ceraunian Mounts | Ceraunii | Mali i Cikës | 40.198060 | 19.638890 | mountain | |||
Dyrrachium Pr. | Gadishulli i Durrësit | 41.348455 | 19.427000 | peninsula | ||||
Gylakeia | Myzeqeja/Fusha e Myzeqesë | 40.914098 | 19.658297 | plain | ||||
Meropus | Aeropus | Trebeshinë | 40.350852 | 20.116327 | mountain | |||
Petra | Shkëmbi i Kavajës | 41.282628 | 19.515817 | rocky hill | ||||
Poseidion | Ksamil | 39.742900 | 19.982100 | cape | ||||
Propilion Stena | Gryka e Cangonj-it | 40.695507 | 20.907336 | gorge | ||||
Sason | Sazan | 40.494000 | 19.283000 | island | ||||
Skardon | Scardus | Sharri/Korab | 41.791605 | 20.551715 | mountain |