11 Facts About Teuta

Teuta surrendered after losing the First Illyrian War in 228.

Teuta had to relinquish the southern parts of her territory and pay a tribute to Rome, but was eventually allowed to keep a realm confined to an area north of Lissus.

Biographical details on the life of Teuta are biased by the fact that the surviving ancient sources, which were written by Greek and Roman authors, were generally hostile to Illyrians and their queen.

The Illyrian name *Teuta is an exact cognate of the Gothic masculine form, itself derived from an earlier.

In 231 BC, Teuta's armies attacked the regions of Elis and Messenia in the Peloponnese.

The vivid account of the event, given by the Greek historian Polybius and overtly hostile to Teuta, was probably influenced by an earlier Roman tradition originally intended to justify the invasion of Illyria.

Teuta promised that no royal force would hurt them, but that piracy was a traditional Illyrian custom she was unable to put an end to.

Teuta implied that "it was contrary to the custom of the Illyrian kings to hinder their subjects from winning booty from the sea".

Teuta herself had retreated with a few followers to the fortified and strategically well-placed city of Rhizon, the principal base of the Illyrian fleet.

Appian mentions that, after the defeat, Teuta sent an embassy to Rome to deliver captives and to apologize for the events that had occurred during her spouse Agron's reign, but not under hers.

The Albanian sporting club Teuta Durres was named after her in 1930.