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The Illyrian Defeat of 219 BCE - Rome Reasserts Control in the Adriatic
By the late 3rd century BCE, the Adriatic Sea had become a battleground between Rome and the Illyrian kingdoms. The First Illyrian War (229-228 BCE) saw Rome intervene against Queen Teuta's aggressive piracy, establishing a Roman protectorate over parts of Illyria. However, the ambitious Illyrian king Demetrius of Pharos (a former Roman ally) later broke treaties, reconquering lost territories and allying with Macedon against Rome.
In 219 BCE, Rome launched the Second Illyrian War in response to Demetrius' expansion. The Roman consul Lucius Aemilius Paullus led a swift campaign, besieging and capturing Dimale (a key Illyrian stronghold) before moving on to Pharos (Demetrius' base). Demetrius fled to Macedon, and Rome dismantled his power, reinstating a pro-Roman ruler, Pinnes, while tightening control over the region.
The events of 219 BCE reinforced Rome's strategy of preemptive strikes against perceived threats, setting a precedent for its expansion in the Balkans.
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