The Grabaei (also Kambaioi; ) were a minor Illyrian tribe who lived near

Lake Skadar Lake Skadar or Lake Scutari (, ; cnr-Cyrl-Latn, Скадарско језеро, Skadarsko jezero, )also called Lake Shkodra (and ''Lake Shkodër'')lies on the border of Albania and Montenegro, and is the largest lake in Southern Europe. It is n ...

. They were mentioned by

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...

(23–79 AD).

History

After

Philip II of Macedon Philip II of Macedon (; 382 BC – October 336 BC) was the king (''basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...

defeated

Bardylis Bardylis or Bardyllis (; ; –358 BC) was an Illyrian king, and the founder of the first attested Illyrian dynasty. During his reign, Bardylis aimed to make Illyria a regional power interfering with Macedon. He united many southern Illyrian ...

(358 BC), the Grabaei, under Grabos II, became the most powerful tribe in Illyria. 7,000 Illyrians were killed by Philip II's army in a great victory, annexing the territory up to

Lake Ohrid Lake Ohrid is a lake which straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern part of North Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes, with a unique aquatic ecosystem of worldwide importance, with more th ...

. He then reduced the Grabaei, targeted another Illyrian king called Pleuratus (considered by some modern scholars an Ardiaean or Taulantian chieftain), defeated the Triballi (339 BC), and fought with Pleurias, king of the Autariatai (337 BC). After 9 AD, the remnants of Illyrian tribes moved to new coastal cities and larger and more capable '' civitates''; the Grabaei (called ''Kambaioi'') were among these, mentioned by

. Kretschmer etymologically connected their name to Slavic ''grabǔ'', "

hornbeam Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the family Betulaceae. Its species occur across much of the temperateness, temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names The common English name ''hornbeam'' derives ...

", with a cognate in Epirote

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

''gábros'' (γάβρος, "oak-wood"). Their name has been connected to

Umbrian Umbrian is an extinct Italic language formerly spoken by the Umbri in the ancient Italian region of Umbria. Within the Italic languages it is closely related to the Oscan group and is therefore associated with it in the group of Osco-Umbr ...

''Krapuvi'' and ''Grabovie'', gods of

Iguvium Gubbio () is an Italian town and ''comune'' in the far northeastern part of the Italian province of Perugia (Umbria). It is located on the lowest slope of Mt. Ingino, a small mountain of the Apennine Mountains, Apennines. History Prehistory The ol ...

. Gabraeum (''Gabraion''), a place in

Epirus Epirus () is a Region#Geographical regions, geographical and historical region, historical region in southeastern Europe, now shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay ...

, may be connected to the tribe. The name of Illyrian king Grabos II suggests a connection with the tribe.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * * * {{Illyrians Illyrian tribes Illyrian Albania Ancient tribes in Albania

History

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography