Summary:

The text explores the complex historical and linguistic debate surrounding the ethnicity of the ancient Epirotes, focusing on whether they were Greek or Illyrian. Ancient historians such as Herodotus and Thucydides provide differing perspectives: while Herodotus sometimes describes Epirotic tribes like the Molossians as Greek, Thucydides explicitly identifies them—along with the Thesprotians, Chaonians, and others—as “barbarians,” a term used by Greeks to describe non-Greek peoples. The author interprets this as clear evidence that these tribes were not Greek-speaking and instead belonged to the Illyrian cultural and linguistic sphere.

The second part of the text examines the region of Çamëria (southern Epirus) through its toponyms (place names), hydronyms (water names), and anthroponyms (personal names). It argues that the consistent presence of Albanian linguistic features in local names indicates a deep-rooted Illyrian–Albanian continuity in the area. Examples include Albanian-derived place names such as Mali i Bardhë (“White Mountain”) and personal names like Gjon, Gjini, Dedë, Kola, and Martin. These names appear in Ottoman cadastral records from the 16th century, showing that the population spoke Albanian and maintained native naming traditions distinct from Greek ones.

The text also highlights how ancient and medieval Albanian anthroponyms evolved from Illyrian and Latin origins, later incorporating Christian and limited Oriental influences without losing their native character. Furthermore, linguistic parallels between Çamëria and northern Albanian regions—such as shared place names and dialectal traits—suggest continuous habitation by an ethnically and linguistically homogeneous Albanian population.

Ultimately, the author concludes that both historical testimony and linguistic evidence demonstrate the indigenous and uninterrupted presence of Albanians in Epirus and Çamëria since antiquity. The region’s population, culture, and language are presented as direct descendants of the ancient Illyrians, countering claims of a historically Greek origin.

Epirotes were Illyrians

As concerns the ethnicity of Epiriots, there are two viewpoints: One considers Epirus Illyrian and the other Greek. On this issue have written the ancient Greek historians, Herodotus and Thucydides. Herodotus relates to two accounts which historians have attempted to interpret. In 576 B. C. it is related that Klisen, the God of Sikion, a very rich man, liked to wed her daughter with a good boy among the Greeks.

He gives the list of those 13 boys that were considered, among whom there was a boy called Alkon. The fact that among the Greek boys there was a Molossian, stirred the historians to think that the Molossians were Greek. But Herodotus.gives us also a second passage. In this second testimony he speaks for “military Greek forces that gathered in Salamis to fight the powerful Persians of that time.

Describing the events, Herodotus says that “Thesprotians are the tribe bordering with the Ambracians and the Leukadians, the most peripheral Greek tribes that had sent men in the battle of Salamis”. Based on the latter, Herodotus does consider the Molossians to be Greek. This is not at all occasional if it is born in mind that the Molossians were “on the hither side of Thesprotians”. Thuchydides clarifies the issue further.

The magnitude of the Peloponnesian War involved the whole of the Greek world and a part of the barbarian world. This is an important detail that would indicates more clearly which were Greek populated areas and which were the ones inhabited by non-Greeks. With the expression “barbarian”, Greeks named all those that lived outside of Greece. Bur it should be born in mind that in the work of Thucydides is not mentioned the notion “Epirus”, since the term had not come into use as yet.

In existence were only the names of the tribes Molassians, Thesprotians, Kaonians (these were the most important tribes) and some other tribes. In describing the effort of the Peloponesian War, Thucydides says that “From the barbarians were the Chaonians, the Molossians, the Orestians and the Thesprotians” Thus he does not mention notions “Epirus” or “Epirotians”.

In the chapter that follows, Thucydides indicates that “some of the barbarians had no kings and, differently from the Greeks who fought in military formations, the barbarian Chaonians, though capable, fought irregularly”. Thucydides gives also other facts relating to the character of the barbarians, but these facts have no great value. Of great importance is his mention that “the barbarians did not speak Greek”.

Thus, he clearly indicates that they were not Greeks. The existence of the colonies, mainly of Corinthians around the Ambracian and the Ionian Gulfs to Kerkyra (present day Korfu), would indicate that the Greek colonies were created neither in Attica nor in any other area, but were created in midst of barbarians. Those who defend the opposite viewpoint have never acknowledged this fact.

Nevertheless, there are Greek geographers and historians who say that “The Greek colonists who settled in Kerkyra faced the resistence of Illyrian Liburni”. The colonists that settled within barbarian, when faced with the resistence of the natives, did not hesitate to use force against them. Such was the case with Apollonians against the Illyrians that destroyed their property and land in the first quarter of the fifth century B. C.

The Greek colonies remained blocked for prolonged periods due to the conflicts the barbarian populations had with Greek colonists, though the relations between barbarian and Illyrian worlds existed. This is observed in the aspect of trade, culture and so on. The modern world recognizes this Greek cultural ingenuity. But the cultural relationship should not be confused with issues of ethnicity.

The inhabitants of these lands were clear on this. As a result of the close trade and cultural relationship of these two worlds, that of the Greeks and the Albanians, drew closer to each other. In the Epiriotic region co-habited local barbarian populations and the colonies, which lived on Ionian Sea shoreline encompassing also Epirotic areas. Another Greek historian, Scylacis, gives another reference to the separating zone between Greek world and that of the barbarian.

He, describing the whole of Illyria, says:”After the Molossians , come the Ambracians, who are at the end of Greek lands. After this, begins Elladha”. Therefore, it is clearly seen that the Greek historians of antiquity were of the same opinion about the separating line between the Greeks and the “barbarians”. Strabo wrote on the subject at a later time.

At this time, that is around the IV century B. C., the “Epirus” and “Epirotes” appear for the first time the terms. This territory extended from the Kurvelesh(current name) mountains in the north, to Gulf of Ambarcia to the south and the Pindus mountains to the east. Another fact that Strabo conveys is in his depiction of Homer, where he states that “he (Homer) new well all the Helens up to the Thesprotians”.

The name Epirus for Homer had a general meaning that is mainland, as was said above. For various historians, the map of Epirus appears heterogeneous, that is movable. This occurs due to the movement of the colonists. But the main population was barbarian. From various sources it is indicated that the “barbarian” population of this area was not Greek speaking.

But various historians pretend that if this population was not Greeks peaking, then, that is not a convincing fact that they were Illyrian. But this is a very weak argument. Beginning from pre-history, it is a well established fact that Illyrians settled the Western Balkan Peninsula.

The toponymy of Çamëria

The earliest attempts to analyze the toponomy and the origin of the name Çamëria is attributed to foreign scholars: M. Lake – Researches in Greece, Paris, 1814, p. 13, Poucqueville – Voyage de la Greece, Paris, 1829, p. 22-23 and so on. The attention has been directed toward toponomy, since by nature is conservative and can be preserved for a long time, even when there are shifts in populations.

A close connection has been observed between the name Çamëria with the name of the river Thiamis which has been identified with Kallamas (eb: current name), the river that runs near the Shkalla of Filat (Shkalla e Zorjanit). E. Çabej observed that the continuity of the two terms Thiamis – Çam is explained according to Albanian language phonetic norms.

The toponyms in Çamëria are solid all over theregion, and they are not isolated settlements, where continuity is observed in all its plains and mountains, inclusive of the hydronims of the land and the sea. In Çamëria there are Albanian names such as: lis (tree), gur (stone), shpellë (cave), burim (spring) and so on.

This autochthonous old population has placed names even to an arable land, to a wedge, to a foot-hill, to a hole, to a stone, to a trace, to a bowlder, clay, to a gorge, to a line, to a stream, to a river, sand, sea, to a swamp, swath, bridge, footpath, church, masque, forest, burnings, and others.

The Greek author Markopullos in his book “Llaografika – Lakos – Suli – Epirotiqi Estia”, Janina 1982, pp. 348-349, says: “The Sul villages were named in Albanian, like: vetëtima (the lightening), gropa (the pit), kali (the horse), Bardhi (the white), Murrizi (from brier), Burima(from spring), Palovreshti (from vineyard), Arvanita and so on”. These Albanian toponyms cover the whole of the territory, which would mean that this population did not constitute a minority, but a part of an ethnic territory.

More Çamëria toponyms: Oronyms: Mali i Hilës (Filat), Çuka e Palit (Gumenicë), Mali i Bardhë (Sharat), Mali i Buzëziut (Arpicë), Mali i Bozhurit (Margëlliç), Mali i Dhëmbasit (Sul), Mali i Glatë (Bedelen), Mali i Ugurgarës (Nistë), Mali i Kladhit (Nuneshat), Malashinji (Karbunarë), Mali i Kurorës (Nkoliçaj), Mali i Llogarajt (Agji), Mali i Mëllezit (Konispol), Mali i Murgut (Sul), Mali i Qytrzës (Mazrek), Mali i Shkodrës (Njihuar-Paramithi), Mali i Verdhëlës (Gikëhuar), Malet e Sheshtagjonëve and so on.

As it is known, the Albanians construct the toponyms from an attribute: from color, form and so on. For example, Mali i Bardhë, because the mountain looks white, Mali i Murgut, because the mountain is dark, Mali Dhëmbasit, because rock formations are in the form of teeth, Mali i Gjatë, because the mountain is high, and so on. It is observed that they are built as property definers among Albanians: Mali i Hilës, Çuka e Palit, Mali i Buzëziut, Mali i Shëndelliut, Malet e Sheshtagjonëve, and so on.

Therefore, the ownership reference clearly illustrates that the owners were Albanian. More interesting is the toponym “Qafa e lirëve” (The Freedoms Pass), which should have been The Pass of the Illyrians, since the Çam dialect tends to drop the vowel, or the first syllable of a name, for example, personal name Llaz, tends to be shortened to Laz, swallowing the letter i and turning Elimët to Limët, and so on.

The same thing is done regarding things: brik for ibrik, lirëve for Ilirëve, Otherwise no other meaning would show its belonging. For the Illyrian Pass we find no reason to doubt Illyrian nature of the shortened name, by the fact that this ancient toponym is preserved today in the memory of the people, alongside those that mentioned the Elimet (eb- Elimiotai), a Pelasgian-Illyrian tribe.

This type of naming is not found in Greek areas, but only in Çamëria and in Albania. This means that the Greeks were not the original people in Çamëria. It is observed that in the process of formation of names, the same mentality and the same mechanism is involved. On the parallelisms about the ‘malet’ (mountains) in Çamëria as well as Albania we have: Mali i Bardhë, Mali i Shëndelliut, Mali i Kurorës, Mali i Llogorait, respectively in Vlora, in Tepelenë, in Kudhës, in Dukat. Similarly, in both sides, in Çamëria and in Albania are found parallel names of villages, for example in Gumecë, Dushk, Lëkurës, Lopës, Varfanj, Vilë, Mazrek, Kurtes, Gravë, Karbunarë, Dritë, Kuç, Currilë, Gurëz, Neshat, Shëmizë, Dardhë and so on.

The area that kept alive myths, toponyms, legends, phraseologies, from Labëria to Çamëria, begin from the village Gumenicë of Vlora, Zërbaç, Kallarat, Kudhës, Qeparo, Sasaj, Butrint, then continue to mother Çamëria, from Koskës to Vërselë, Guman, Gurriz, Varfanj, Grikëhuar, Sharat, Nuneshat, Kuç, Arvenicë, Arpicë, Arilë, Mazrek, Luarat, Margëlliç, Mur, Vrastovë, Karbunar, Grikë and so on.

These names in the memory of the Albanians here and in Çamëria could not endured if they had not been contemporaneous in these places. Wherever we have Elimiotai burials, they were of the proto-Albanians, who have identified the burial grounds and transmitted to latter generations.

These uncontestable facts clearly speak of the antiquity and continuous presence of the Çams population in the area. The Çams are the descendents of the Epirots. If the Albanians settled later in those territories, as some unpersuasive Greek scholars maintain, how could the Cams preserve the millennial memory? Therefore, as is the toponomy of Çamëria ancient, so is ancient the population of Çamëria, because it is the Çams have have preserved the mental and material wealth, not the Greeks.

The hydronymes

It could be said that all the hydronims in Çamëria are in Albanian. Very rarely are those in the languages of the intruders. The Sea of Çamëria, which has two names: Deti Jon and Deti i Zonjës, (or the Fusha e Zonjës), both of these names are in Albanian language. From other hydronims we could mention: Lumreja of Janina, a river that zigzags and comes from the Han i Pllaka in Lefterhor, Lumi i Zi (Acheron), Ujët e Verdhë (The strait till between Kakasë së Nicës and Marvenorës in Vilë). Di Krerët (the Srait of the sea that separates the river Pasko with Antioaskon). Lumi i Artës, Lluri, Kalamai, Lumi i Pavlit, Përroi i Miç Dukës, Përroi i Dushqey, Përroi i Katundit, Burim i Zërës, Burim i Labit, Burim i Kaninës, Kroi i Mirë, Kroi i Shurrës, Kroi i Ariut, Kroi i Sorrëzës, Pus i Mollës, Pus’i Çalares, Uji i Bardhë and so on.

The anthroponyms

At the beginning of the thirteenth century, Çamëria was part of the Despotate of Epirus. The Ruler of the Epirus in the 14th century was Gjon Zenebishta, who, like Gjin Bue Shpata, the ruler of Prevezë, were called “Lord”. In the second half of the 15th century, Çamëria became a battle ground of resistance against the Ottoman army.

This region fell under Ottoman rule and was included in the Sandjak of Delvina. Çamëria (Vajametia in the Middle Ages), was one of the areas clearly distinguished for preservation of customs originating in antiquity. In the 16th century, when the cadastral census was made, could be easily noted that in the region of Delvinë, inclusive of Çamëria, the names were typically Albanian.

The cadastral registry of the year of 1582-1583 of the Kaza of Delvinë, in the registry of Sandjak of Delvinë of the years 1582-1563 included 63 villages. The regiser lists all heads of household, unmarried males and widows of every village.

As an example, let’s check on the village of Sharat, a Çam village few km. from the Ionian sea, p.24 b. Here are the names and the surnames of the inhabitants of this village that are included in this Ottoman source: Nik Nikolli, Nikollë Gjini, Dol Nika, Pal Gjoni Kostë Mëhilli, Gjikë Dedë Zhupa, Liko Nikolla, Nikë Gjoni, Progër Gjini, Dokë Gjini, Gjikë Gjoni, Martin Prift, Gjikë Pali, Dokë Doli, Jani Doli, Pjetri Qesari, Martin Komneni, Gjikë Teodori, Ahmet Shtrepi, Lisimet Meladeni, Martin Kola, Nikol Pali, Strati Lira, Dhimo Klea, Komnen Kondi, Dedë Gjini, Nikol Pali, Martin Andrea, Doli Komneni, Melkë Andrea, Nikolë Qesari,.Llazar Gjoni, Dod Nikolla, Lik Strati, Nik Andrea, Martin Loli.

Names of Illyrian period

The name Dhimo is short formation from the name Dhimiter, The phenomenon of shortening names of this kind is found only in Albanian. Dhimitër is a name of Pelasgian-Illyrian origin. According to Nermin Vlora, this name stems from Dhe-Miter, meanin soil in us. This anthroponym is found in our area not only before Christ, but also in the Albanian Medieval period.

The name Kostë stems from the name Kostandin, in indefinite form, is of Illyrian origin. Also shorts Kondi, Kosta and Ndini stem from the same name. The anthroponym Lik is an Illyrian name, (V. Cuhmohovsky B. Sh. Sh., no. 2, Tiranë, p. 147). This is also asserted by H, Krahe, E. Çabej and Zef Mirdita. Dedë stems from Dida, a personal Illyrian name. H. Krahe indicates that Dida is an Illyrian name (Lexikon Alitillyricher personnamen), Heidelberg, 1929.

Maximian Lamberci sees the name Deda as a reflection of an older Illyran anthroponym. According to R. Doçi, Dida is found in the old form even today in the banks of the river Klinë, in Didë, Prizren. The name Dedë was used in the Middle Ages in the form of Dedaj,.Dedash, Dedë, Dedinë, Dedosh (Shuteriqi I., USA, page 3090). These anthroponyms indicate that this population, inhabiting this territory, belonged to the Illyrian geographic space and later to the Arbënor one, from the earliest Illyrian times, thus confirming the continuity of Çam inhabitation of the area.

Names from the Latin Period

Dokë and Martin. Dokë, prior form being Ndoke, stems from Antonius. The use of personal Latin name Martin is noted. This anthroponym was widely used during the Middle Ages. Implanting of this name is attributable to the Church and reverence of saints. St. Martin lived in the 4th century in France,

We will turn to the semantic names: Doli, Merkë, Lisimadh. Doli stems from doli, Lisimadh is an anthroponym made from the name Lis (tree) and adjective i madh or big. In the Middle Ages it was commonly used as an anthroponym. Melkë stems from the personal name Mel-i. In our case, it is used with diminutive suffix – kë. It also appears in forms: Melas, Melash, Melkë, according to Dh. Shuteriqi.

The above names are considered to have originated within and are not imports in this territory. The Albanian population of this kaza had in Middle Ages its own system of personal names and surnames, commonly used prior to the Christian era, originating from Albanian language vocabulary well. These anthroponyms, of ancient heritage, constitute root elements from antiquity.

In this village, the personal names, from the structural point of view, stem mainly from simple monomial names. Only the composite Lismadh is an exception. The most widely used name in this village is the name Martin, and followed by names Kola, Andrea, Prifti, Pali, Gjini, Loli, Komneni and so on. The anthroponyms and the patronyms Gjikë, Gjokë, Dedë, Mëhill, Toskë, Strat, Nikë, Pal, Kola, Komnen, Nikolë, Pjetër, Kondi, Gjoni, Progir, Dokë and so on, all traditional Albanian names.

The names and the last names Gjon, Gjin are the same. The name Gjon has been known in Europe since the first century and stems from Hebrew Ioannes, which is the name of Christ’s apostle, Saint John, and evolving through centuries in this area to Gjon. The name Gjin was widely used by the Albanians in the Middle Ages. It has also given these forms, Gjinar, Gjinec, Gjinak, according to Shuteriqi.

Shën Gjini and Shën Gjoni have their holiday on June 24th, corresponding to the longest day and the shortest night. Nikolla gave its short form Kolë and Nik. Mikel is turned into Mëhill. In this village are frequently used Albanian area names of Nikë and Gjikë. The same story goes with the name name Mikel, used 4 times. In this village are also included 6 names with Hebrew Christian origin, which have been added into anthtoponymic and patronymic names like Jani, Pjetri, Pali, apostolic names.

Mikel is the apostolic biblical name Mikael; Llazar and Nikolla reflect names of Slavic saints. The only name in this village with Greek etymology was Strati, but this also became part of Arber reality. Later in Albania, this name was replaced by oriental terminology and when this region was Islamized it became Sefer and Asqer (having the same name as Strat).

The only oriental anthroponym is the name Ahmet, but this also accompanied with the Albanian surname (Ahmet Shtrepi). In this village there is one Pelasgian-Illyrian name, three names of Illyrian origin, two of Latin origin, 6 of Chrstian Hebrew origin, 3 semantic names, 10 of domestic Arbër, one adapted name from Greek etymology, and one of oriental anthroponym.

It is important to mention that all late Medieval period names used in the village Sharat, as well as other villages of this kaza are different from names used by the Greeks. The name Gjikë Zhupa, from the structural point of view, pertains to the Medieval period. M. Shuflai points out that the Albanian element has continuously contracted and eventually taken the shape of a “hedgehog ball”.

Whereas E. Çabej says “The Albanian territories were not expansionist centers, but territories that have experienced contraction, a continuous shrinking throughout their history. If we were to refer to history and the ancient Greek authors, the northern border of Greek ethnicity and Greek language began in the southern flanks of the Gulf of Arta, Strabo indicated.

Therefore these territories of Çamëria where this village is located, are autochthonous regions of Albania, given unjustly to Greece in 1913. Until 1944, this village, like all villages of Çamëria, was inhabited by ethnic Albanians. Such authentic data prove without doubt that Çamëria during its entire history had a compact, characteristically Albanian population. 

Reference

N. Merxhushi, The Albanian autochthony of Cameria.