• Brief History
  • Timeline
    • Pre-History >
      • Balkan pre history
      • The Origin >
        • The Illyrian Emperors >
          • Illyrian weaponry
          • Rulers of Illyria
          • Illyrian Cities
          • Illyrian Tribes
    • Common Era >
      • Byzantine Albania >
        • Middle Ages >
          • Siege of Berat (1455)
          • Under Bulgarian Empire
          • Siege of Berat (1280–81)
          • Battle of Dyrrhachium
          • Kingdom of Albania (medieval)
          • Principality of Arbanon
    • Modern Times >
      • Ottoman Era >
        • Albanian Grand Veziers
        • Battle of Albulena
        • Battle of Kosovo
        • The Great Serbian Myths
      • League of Prizren >
        • Albanian Revolts of 1833–39
        • Revolt of 1432–36
        • Revolt of 1843–44
        • Revolt of 1845
        • Revolts of 1847
        • Revolt 1911
        • Revolt of 1910
        • Revolt 1912
        • Massacre of beys
        • National Awakening
        • Bulgarian Occupation
        • Albanian Independence >
          • Provisional Government
      • Autonomy of Northern Epirus
      • Partition of Albania
      • Autonomous Korca
      • Balkan Wars
      • Treaty of London
      • Italian Protectorate of Albania
      • Republic of Mirdita
      • Republic of Central Albania
      • Principality of Albania
      • Kingdom of Albania
      • Congress of Dibra
      • Congress of Lushnje
      • Albanophobia
      • Communism >
        • Enver Hoxha
        • Labor Party
        • People's Socialist Republic of Albania
        • Politburo of the Labor Party
        • Fall of Communism
      • World War I
      • World War II >
        • Security Battalions
        • Balli Kombetar
        • Ali Demi Battalion
        • National Liberation Movement
        • Italian colonists
      • 97' Anarchy
  • Rivers
  • Regions
    • Albanians of Serbia
    • Albanians of Macedonia
    • Albanians of Montenegro
    • Albanians of Greece
    • Albanians of Kosovo
    • Myzeqeja
    • Laberia
    • Albanian Cities >
      • Ulqin
      • Pej
      • Prishtine
      • Manastir
      • Tivar
      • Korca
      • Gjirokastra
      • Tetov
      • Gostivar
      • Lushnje
      • Lezha
      • Gjakov
      • Kruja
      • Dibra
      • Fieri
      • Saranda
      • Pogradec
      • Podgoric
      • Gilan
      • Ferizaj
      • Elbasan
      • Shkup
      • Ohrid
      • Tepelena
      • Prizren
      • Berat
      • Vlora
      • Shkodra
      • Drenic
      • Mitrovic
      • Kercov
      • Kumanov
      • Tirana
      • Durres
    • Albanian Sanjak
    • Albanian Villayet >
      • Skadar Villayet >
        • Scutari Pashalik
      • Manastir Villayet >
        • Berati Pashalik
      • Kosovo Villayet >
        • Sanjak of Kosova
      • Yanina (Janina) Villayet >
        • Janina Pashalik
    • Albanian Pashaliks
    • Macedonia >
      • Emathia
      • Ilirida (Western Macedonia)
    • Dardania >
      • Republic of Kosova >
        • Presheva Valley
    • Illyria
    • Republic of Albania
    • Malsia (South & South East Montenegro)
    • Epirus >
      • Chameria (Sothern Epirus)
      • Northern Epirus
    • Albanapolis
    • Mandritsa
    • Troy
  • Flag
  • Monarchy
    • Albania under Italy
    • Invasion by Italians
    • Ahmet Zogu
  • Language
    • Albanian Alphabet
    • Congress of Manastir
    • Arvanitika >
      • Arvanitika Alphabet
    • Arberisht
  • Library
    • Books
  • Religion
    • Christianity >
      • Catholicism >
        • Albanian Popes
      • Orthodoxy
    • Islam >
      • Sunni
      • Bektashi
  • Plants & Animals
    • Albanian Horse
  • Historical Figures
    • Avdyl Frasheri
    • Fan Noli
    • Skandebeg
    • Mother Teresa
    • Alexander the Great
    • Voisava Kastrioti
    • Glaucia
    • Isa Boletini
    • Pyrrhus the Eagle
    • Pyrrhus the Eagle
    • Naim Frasheri
    • Ali Pash Tepelena
    • Ismail Qemali
  • Currency
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • People
    • Albanians
    • Arberesh
    • Janissaries
    • Albanoi
    • Arvanite
    • Albanian Orthodox
    • Albanian Orthodox in F.Y.R.O.M.
    • Cham Albanians
    • Arbanasi
    • Albanians of Rumania
    • Arbanon
    • Albanians in Ukraine
    • Ardiaei
    • Arnaut
    • Dardanians
    • Illyrians
    • Enchelei
    • Stradioti
    • Epiriottes
    • Chaonians
    • Pelasgians
  • Culture
    • Clothing
    • Albanian dances
    • Cuisine
    • Dancing
    • Albanian Folk Music >
      • Singing >
        • Pleqerishte
        • Vajtimi
    • musical instruments
    • Kanuni >
      • Besa
  • Mythology
    • Myth of Creation
    • Albanian Myths >
      • Dorentina
  • Symbology
    • The Double-Headed Eagle
  • Contact
    • Submit
  • Essad Pasha
  • Province of Macedonia
  • Illium
  • Illyricum
  • Albanians Diaspora
  • Gjon Kastrioti
  • Venita Albania
  • Sanjak of Prizren
  • Molossian Dog
  • Illyrian Sheep Dog
  • Albanian Lynx
  • Illyrian Language
  • Byzantine Empire
  • First Balkan War
  • Protocol of Corfu
  • Second Balkan War
  • London Conference
  • Sanjak of Dibra
  • Balkans
  • Chameria Battalion
  • Cham Issue
  • Janina
  • Constantinople
  • Population Exchange
  • Expulsion of Chams
  • Massacres of the Albanians
  • Battle of Luma
  • Illyria Graeca
  • Phrygia
  • Illyrian warfare
  • The Great Illyrian Revolt
  • The Illyrian Wars
  • Bato Daesitiate
  • Daesitiates
  • Secret Committee
  • Treaty of San Stefano
  • Assembly of Vlora
  • All-Albanian
  • Balkan League
  • Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights

Enchelei 

The Enchelei (Latin: Encheleae; Greek: Ἐγχέλιοι/Ἐγχελεῖς, translit., Enchelioi/Encheleis; name of the country: Ἐγχέλη, Enchele), were an Illyrian tribe that lived around the region of Lake Ohrid [1] and Lynkestis,[2][3] in modern-day Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Greece. Their name in ancient Greek meant "eel-people". They were often at war for domination of the region with the ancient Macedonians who settled in the east. Their neighbors in the north-west were the Illyrian Taulanti, to the north, the Dardani and to the south the Dassaretae, an ancient Greek tribe.[4][5]

Mythology 

Greek mythology attributes a progenitor to the Enchelei, a son of Illyrius called Encheleus.[6] It is referred that Cadmus from Phoenicia with his wife Harmonia arrived among the Enchelei. As the legend says it, at that time the Enchelei were at war with neighboring Illyrian tribes and Cadmus after orders from the Oracle became leader of the people and came to their aid. After the victory against the other Illyrians, the Enchelei chose Cadmus as their king.[7] Illyrius, the eponymous ancestor of the whole Illyrian people,[8] had multiple sons (Encheleus, Autarieus, Dardanus, Maedus, Taulas and Perrhaebus) and daughters (Partho, Daortho, Dassaro) from which many Illyrian tribes take their name.

Culture 

The Enchelei lived by fishing on Lake Ohrid, and on trade with Greek products, which have been found in many archaeological excavations. The main town of the Enchelei, Lynkesta, is believed to have been on the shores of Lake Ohrid, near the village of Lin or the town of Pogradec. The old name of the town of Struga is Enchalon, the ancient Greek word for eel that lives in the Lake Ohrid. The Periplus of Pseudo-Skylax from the 4th century BC, mentions the Enchelei as an Illyrian tribe on the Adriatic coast in modern-day Montenegro. That some Encheleans migrated to the coast 300 years later, is explained by the immigration of Dassaretae into their territory.

Enchelean Kingdom 

In southern Illyria organized states were formed earlier than in other areas of Illyria. The oldest known state which can be discussed about from ancient sources is that of the Enchelei. The height of the Enchelean Kingdom was from the 8th-7th centuries BC, but the kingdom fell from dominant power around the 6th century BC.

The Enchelei were often at war with the northern Greeks. From written sources from Greek writers such as Herodotus, the Enchelei army is even recorded attacking the temple of Delphi and even ancient Thebes.[9][10] After conquests of the Encheleans by Philip of Macedon in 357 BC, some Dassaretae settled in the area of Lynkestis.[11]

Also see


References
  1. John J. Wilkes, The Illyrians; 1996, ISBN 0-631-19807-5, p. 98.
  2. John J. Wilkes, The Illyrians, 1996, ISBN 0-631-19807-5, p. 99.
  3. Strabo, Geography (ed. H.C. Hamilton, Esq., W. Falconer, M.A.), book 7, chapter 7: "...had established their sway, and Encheleii, who are also called Sesarethii. Then come the Lyncestia, the territory Deuriopus, Pelagonia-Tripolitis..."
  4. Hammond, NGL (1994). Philip of Macedon. London, UK: Duckworth.
  5. Crew, P. Mack. The Cambridge Ancient History - The Expansion of the Greek World, Eighth to Sixth Centuries BC. Part 3: Volume 3, p. 284.
  6. Wilkes, John. The Illyrians. Wiley-Blackwell, 1995, p. 92.
  7. Cadmus: "After having many children, Cadmus and Harmonia left Thebes in order to defend the Encheleans, a people living in southern Illyria, which is the region north of Epirus, and there defeated the Illyrian intruders..."
  8. Grimal & Maxwell-Hyslop 1996, p. 230; Apollodorus & Hard 1999, p. 103 (Book III, 5.4).
  9. http://www.amazon.com/Iliri-Povijest-zivot-kultura-Croatian/dp/8603003556
  10. Aleksandar Stipčević - Illyrians, The Illyrian Art, The Illyrian Cult Symbols page 46-47
  11. Helden und Gottheiten der Antike