by Anita Paga

Abstract

This text presents a historical interpretation of Albanian ethnogenesis, arguing for continuity from ancient “Arbroi/Arbanon” references to the medieval Principality of Arbanon and modern Albanian identity (Shqipëtar). It compiles classical, Byzantine, and medieval sources such as Hecataeus of Miletus, Polybius, Ptolemy, Procopius, Stephanus of Byzantium, and Ragusan chronicles to argue for an uninterrupted geographic and ethnographic presence of Albanians in the western Balkans. The study suggests that historical distortions, translation issues, and political biases have obscured Albanian continuity. It further links archaeological, epigraphic, and medieval documentary evidence to support the idea of a long-standing Arbër/Albanian population identity.

Albanians, were limited to what was being published in regards to their history. Both diaspora and homeland were subjected to regimes of post WWII, and total isolation of Albanology of post 1960s. Freedom of information raised the Albanian question, and its uninterrrupted geographical and ethnographic cronology.

In 2020, Plausari, and the Academy of Albanian Studies investigated the continuous line of Arbëria. Some important extracts are:

The first record of Arbroi by the esteemed Hecateus of Miletus, fragment 69.

Αβροι , ἔθνος πρὸς τῷ Αδρίᾳ Ταλαντίνων προσεχὲς τοῖς Χελιδονίοις ,

ὡς Ἑκαταῖος ….

“Abroi, a nation towards Adria of Talantines, where the Swallows can be seen, as Hecataeus…”

Source can be found – ed.] Nenci, Giuseppe [ed.], Hecataei Milesii Fragmenta, Biblioteca di studi superiori, 22, Firenze: La Nuova Italia, 1954.

Source: https://books.google.co.uk/books?redir_esc=y&hl=el…

*According to Mayer, a metathesis: a corruption of ‘rb’ metathesis has been transferred to byzantine laws of writing, therefore by adapting names to own language, greeks mislead the research by obstructing geography and ethnography, and thus erasing in their byzantine records Arbania and Arbanians.

The Finiq inscription, neglicted by Ugolini , was examined by P. Cabanes, dating III-II BCE, and confirms the freeing of a slave by someone known as the Arbaios, or Arba -kthei

Source: https://www.persee.fr/doc/iliri_1727-2548_1986_num_16_2_2008?q=Phoinike%20inscriptions%20cabanes

Source: https://epigraphy.packhum.org/search…

Polybius, in his Universal History, records how during roman-illyrian wars, the citizens of Issa and Faro took refugee in Arbanon. In the epitaph of Gornja Solnja, Shkup, in the late 1st century AD, the inscription DOM(O) ALBANOP(OLI) confirms continuation. Similar reference is recorded by Claudius Ptolemy, referring to the Albans, of Alban polis, in todays’ Zgërdhesh, Kruja, a region between Mat and Shkumbin, and not a city, which was taken by earlier sources.

Zampati concluded that the Albanian etymology and geographical coordinates refer to the coastal area known as Rodon, and Ishëm of Lezha, therefore the citizens of the latter, took refuge in the higher grounds of Arbanon.

In the Catalogur Felicianus, Pope ‘Innocenti natione Albanensis’ (400 AD), is recorded as of Albanian origin, located in Arbania and not in Alban Rome.

In the Annales Ragusini Anonymi, or the Storani family Annales the Arbanesi and Arbania are mentioned several times between 5th and 11th century.

When King Radoslav of Bosnia, seeks help to cross in Italy, the Arbania is mentioned as being affected by the war of 460 AD.

During Justinian’s Byzantine unity: Procopius in his “On Buildings” and “On wars’ when accompanying Belisaurus, describes the great Epirotans od the right ride of the Adriatic, and the Dardani beyond the Epidamnus during Justinians’ fortifications and rebuilding of the cities.

However, his confusion of Avar migrations, as the Albanians of Caucasus, creates a historical distortion for many scholars who love to point the finger at Albanians showing up in 11th century- Obviously not!!! The archeological evidence in Vrap, Central Albania suggest an Avar Treasury in 6th century AD, a presence of rich Avars, recorded also as Ilyrian Albanian-Avar alliance in what is known as religious wars, arranged by Justinian I. Lcenturies later, Chalkokondyles used Procopius’ data to describe the Albanian Avars in Peloponesse as being brought by Ottoman incursions, 800 year later.

The 6th century AD Avar Treasury is displayed in Metropolitan Museum, NY, attesting Justinian and Avar deal to protect from invasions.

Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/700984

In the 6th century AD, Stephanus of Byzantium, in his important geographical dictionary Ethnica (Ἐθνικά), mentions a city called Arbon (Ἀρβών), and gives an ethnic name for its inhabitants, in two singular forms, i.e. Arbonios (Ἀρβώνιος) and Arbonites (Ἀρβωνίτης) pl. Ἀρβωνῖται

Annales Ragusini Anonymi, in 687, record a revolt in Bosnia against Radoslavs’ expansion. The bosnians supported Duchagini de Arbania, and Arbanians, then Servian control. Bu 688, Duchagini was defeated and the first wave of migration towards Ragusa, having lost the hold og Arbania up to Lezo (Lezha).

By 744, the Ragusan social structure includes emigrants of the upper class families of Arbania such as ; Luccari of Alessio, Resti and Sorgo of Redoni. The Ragusans, like Arbanians and Dalmatians, would not marry into family for 15 generations. This moment was of interest as now Ragusans started intermerrying their children with Arbanians & Dalmatians.

By 8th century, the term Arbneshë was widely known to refer to Albanians.

Scholars like Sathas, are puzzled as to why Constantine Porphyrogenos, again ignores Arbania, and focuses in Caucasian Albania, even though in the texts he writes ‘let the parts of Iberia be on the left hand of Illyria’.

Erroneous mistakes like this, can only be due to lack of geoghaphical knowledge on this particular case, acxording to scholars.

In 971, Venetians arrive in Ragusa and plan an attack on Byzantine Empire. For years Ragusans were communicating with Arbania in the other shore, and annales show the Arbanians prepare an army.

By 11th century the text of Legends of the Time of Tsar Samuel’, records amongst other languages of earth; the language of half believers -Arbanasi (Albanian), and according to Elsie attests Arbania as a linguistic community…

By 1190, The Principality of Arbanon, triumphs with the House of Progon, in Krujë.

The Principality of Arbanon with the Gropa ruling family, practices the first coat of arms, which set an example of succession across various medieval Albanian lineages and patronymic families; Albani, Angeli, Arianiti, Komneni, Balsa, Bechikemi, Ducagini, Durazzo, Dusmani, Kastrioti, Matranca, Muzaka, Scura, Spani, Spata, Thopia, Zaharia, Zenevisi and numerous others

I would like to switch to a modern author; and the reviewing of the History of Albania is supported in a few statements, amongst the many, in the section Albania 500-1500.

“Only when the imperial central administration was weakened did these local leaders began to play a more visible role, as with a certain Progon around 1190, when the area around Durrës was organized into the province of Durrës and Arbanon. After 1204, in the turmoil following the conquest of Constantinople , Progon’s son Demetrios assumed the title “by the grace of God, panhypersevastos (a Byzantine court title) and great lord.”

The old name used by their neighbors was linked to the Albanian term Arbër , which essentially designates a Christian Albanian and his pre-Ottoman and pre-Islamic culture.

Around 1700, after the violent suppression of Catholic uprisings, the new ethnonym shqiptar appears in written sources and gradually replaces Arbër , a term that harkened back to the Christian culture of medieval Albania, a world almost completely superseded by the Muslim Arnavutluk .

Alban inscriptions are recorded in Koyne and Latin from the turn of the first millennium.

References

1. See epigraphy

2. Fischer, B., & Schmitt, O. (2022). A Concise History of Albania (Cambridge Concise Histories). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

3. Ndërfandina Abacy 1204

4. Map depicting the Albanian principalities over the territories of modern Albania and surroundings, around 1390.

4.Principality of Arbanon

Quote

“I write down what I think is true, because the stories told by the Greeks are, in my opinion, ridiculous and countless. “

– Hekataios of Miletus