Etuta (ruled 169 – 168 BC) was an Illyrian queen of the

Ardiaean Kingdom The Ardiaei were an Illyrian people who resided in the territory of present-day Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia between the Adriatic coast on the south, Konjic on the north, along the Neretva river and its right ...

, married to

Gentius Gentius ( grc, Γένθιος, "Génthios"; 181168 BC) was an Illyrian king who belonged to the Labeatan dynasty. He ruled in 181–168 BC, being the last attested Illyrian king. He was the son of Pleuratus III, a king who kept positive relati ...

. Etuta was a Dardanian princess, the daughter of

Monunius II of Dardania Monunius ( Ancient Greek Μονούνιος; ruled ''c.'' 176 – 167 BC) was an Illyrian king of the Dardanian State who lived in the late 3rd century BC and early 2nd century BC. Monunius attested first in 176 BC was the son of Longarus, ...

Biography

Etuta was earlier engaged to Gentius' brother,

Plator Plator (? –169 BC) the Illyrian was brother to King Gentius, the last Illyrian king of the Ardiaean State. Plator may have been killed because he wanted to marry Etuta in 169 BC. She was the daughter of Monunius and was married to Gent ...

, whom Gentius treacherously killed. Etuta married

in 169 BC. Gentius' objective was to secure the inheritance of the Ardiaean throne, but Livy reports he also envied his brother because he was going to marry Etuta. However, the marriage does not seem to have secured an Ardiaean–Dardanian alliance and as a result Gentius allied himself with

Perseus of Macedon Perseus ( grc-gre, Περσεύς; 212 – 166 BC) was the last king (''Basileus'') of the Antigonid dynasty, who ruled the successor state in Macedon created upon the death of Alexander the Great. He was the last Antigonid to rule Macedon, aft ...

the enemy of his father-in-law.The Illyrians by J. J. Wilkes,1992, , page 172, "...Roman allies in the previous war against Macedonia. In 169 BC there was a report that Gentius had his brother Plator killed because his plan to marry Etuta..." After the defeat of Gentius in 168 BC, Etuta along with other important Illyrians were taken to

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

. Etuta and the royal family were sent to Spoletum, to be kept under observation. The inhabitants of Spoletum refused to keep the royal family under watch, so they were transferred to Iguvium. Etuta remained there until she died. Etuta is also known as Etleuta and Etleva.

References

Sources

*The Illyrians by J. J. Wilkes, 1992, {{ISBN, 0-631-19807-5 Illyrian queens 2nd-century BC women 2nd-century BC European people