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Shkoder Scutari Scodra Capital City Of Illyria

Shkodër (Definite Albanian form: Shkodra; see Etymology for other names), is a city in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic places in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. During many different epochs it has retained its status as a major city in the Western Balkans, due to its geostrategic positioning close to the Adriatic and the Italian ports, but also with land-routes to other important cities and towns in neighbouring regions. Its importance is heightened by the Lake of Shkodër to the west of the city—the largest in the Western Balkans—that straddles Albania and neighbouring Montenegro.

Ancient Scodra - The capital of the Labeates, in Illyria. Scodra was one of the oldest cities in modern Albania, it was located on Lake Shkoder which is the modern name of the ancient city. (formerly Scutari). Scodra. Now Scodar or Scutari; one of the most important towns in Illyricum, on the left bank of the river Barbana, at the southeast corner of the Lacus Labeatis, and about seventeen miles from the coast. - Harry Thurston Peck. Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. New York. Harper and Brothers. Scodra, capital of the Labeates, in Illyria, on Barbana fl., at the s. extremity of Labeatis lacus. A colonia. Fortress of Scutari. - Classical Gazetteer Scodra in Antiquity. The town was known as Scodra (Greek: Σκάρδον) (Latin: Scodra) during the antiquity, and was the capital of the first kingdom of the Illyrian tribe of the Ardiaei, since the middle of the 3rd century BC. The town, was first mentioned during classical times as the site of the Illyrian Labeates, as well as the capital of the kingdom of King Gentius- in which he minted coins - and that of Queen Teuta. In the year 168 BC, the city was captured by the Romans and it became an important trade and military route. The Romans colonized the town. Scodra remained in the province of Illyricum, and later Dalmatia. By it 395 AD, it was part of the Diocese of Dacia, within Praevalitana. - Wikipedia Scodra SCODRA (Σκάρδον, Ptol. 2.16. (17.) § 12; Σκάρδον, Hierocl. p. 656: Eth. Scodrenses, Liv. 45.26), one of the snore important towns of Roman Illyricum (Montenegro), the capital of the Labeates, seated at the southern extremity of the lake Labeatis, between two rivers, the Clausula on the E., and the Barbanna on the W. (Liv. 44.31), and at a distance of 17 miles from the sea-coast (Plin. Nat. 3.22. s. 26). It was a very strong place, and Gentius, king of the Illyrians, attempted to defend it against the Romans, B.C. 168, but was defeated in a battle under the walls. Pliny erroneously places it on the Drilo (l.c.). At a later period it became the chief city of the province Praevalitana. It is the present Scutari, which is also the name of the lake Labeatis. (Wilkinson, Dalmatia and Montenegro, vol. i. p. 476.). - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) William Smith, LLD, Ed. Illyria and Illyricum (ĭlĭr´ē) and (ĭlĭr´ĭkm), ancient region of the Balkan Peninsula. In prehistoric times a group of tribes speaking dialects of an Indo-European language swept down to the northern and eastern shores of the Adriatic and established themselves there. The region that they occupied came to be known as Illyria, and therefore the name has vague limits. Among the Illyrian peoples were the tribes later called the Dalmatians and the Pannonians; therefore Illyria is sometimes taken in the widest sense to include the whole area occupied by the Pannonians, and thus to reach from Epirus N to the Danube. More usually Illyria is used to mean only the Adriatic coast N of central Albania and W of the Dinaric Alps. The Illyrians were much affected by the Celts and mingled freely with them; the inhabitants of the later Rhaetia were a compound of Illyrians and Celts. The Illyrians were warlike and frequently engaged in piracy. The mines of the region, located inland, attracted the Greeks, but the terrain was too difficult. Greek cities were established on the coast in the 6th cent. , but they did not flourish, and generally the Greeks left the Illyrians alone. Philip II of Macedon and later Philip V warred against them, but without permanent results. An Illyrian kingdom was set up in the 3d cent. with the capital at Scodra (present-day Shkodër, Albania), but trouble over Illyrian piracy led the Romans to conduct two victorious wars against Scodra (229228, 219 ). After the Dalmatians had split from the kingdom, the Romans conquered Genthius, king of Scodra, and established (168167 ) one of the earliest Roman colonies as Illyricum. The colony was enlarged by the total conquest of Dalmatia in several wars (notably 156, 119, 7877 ). The southern Illyrians were finally conquered (3534 ) by Augustusa conquest confirmed by the campaigns of 2927 Illyricum was expanded by conquests (1211 ) of the Pannonians. At the time of the stubborn revolt of the Illyrians ( 69) the territory was split into the provinces of Dalmatia and Pannonia, but the term Illyricum was still used. It was later given to one of the great prefectures of the late Roman Empire. Illyricum then included much of the region N of the Adriatic as well as a large part of the Balkan Peninsula. When Napoleon revived (1809) the name for the Illyrian Provs. of his empire he included much of the region N of the Adriatic and what is today Slovenia and Croatia. Roughly the same region was included in the administrative district of Austria called (181649) the Illyrian kingdom. See S. Casson, Macedonia, Thrace, and Illyria (1926).

Etymology

The name on coins minted in Shkodra (during the rule of Gentius - Last King of Illyrians) have the legend ScodrinΩn.[2] The name stems from Illyrian as Sco Drinon, in modern Albanian language (Shko Drin) (where the Drin goes). Drin is one of the two rivers that surround Scodra. During medieval times it changed meaning and was replaced with Shkodra - Shko te Kodra (Go to the hill), where the Rozafa castle is. Name implies (Go to the castle). In early 20th century, Shkodër was referred to in English by the Italian name Scutari.[3].

History

The town was known as Scodra [4] (Latin: Scodra)[5] during antiquity, and was the capital of the first kingdom of the Illyrian tribe of the Ardiaei, since the middle of the 3rd century BC.[6] The town, was first mentioned during classical times as the site of the Illyrian Labeates, as well as the capital of the kingdom of King Gentius[7]- in which he minted coins - and that of Queen Teuta. In the year 168 BC, the city was captured by the Romans and it became an important trade and military route. The Romans colonized[8] the town. Scodra remained in the province of Illyricum, and later Dalmatia. By it 395 AD, it was part of the Diocese of Dacia, within Praevalitana.

Middle Ages

The dawn of the Middle Ages saw waves of Slavs arriving. De Administrando Imperio describes how Byzantine Emperor Heraclius (r. 610-641) gave the Serbs a territory in the Western Balkans during the first half of the 7th century. The southernmost, maritime polity of the Serbian Principality, at Duklja, included the Shkodër region. After the death of Prince Časlav (r. 927-960), the state disintegrated, with Duklja retaining most of it.[9] Khan Samuel had by 997 conquered all of Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia, and most of modern Albania.[9] In the early 11th century, Jovan Vladimir ruled Duklja amidst the war between Basil II and Samuel. Vladimir allegedly retreated into Koplik when Samuel I invaded Duklja, and was subsequently forced to accept Bulgarian vassalage. Vladimir was later slewn by the Bulgars, and received a cult; Shingjon (the feast of St. Jovan Vladimir), which is celebrated by the Albanian Orthodox Christians.[10] In the 1030s, Stefan Vojislav from Travunia expelled the last strategos, and successfully defeated the Byzantines by 1042. Stefan Vojislav set up Shkodër as his capital.[11] Constantine Bodin accepted the crusaders of the Crusade of 1101 in Shkodër. After the dynastic struggles in the 12th century, Shkodër became part of the Nemanyid Zeta province. During the fall of the Serbian Empire (14th century), it was taken by the Balšić family. It then came into the possession of Albanian lord Lekë Dukagjini (fl. 1438–1444) who surrendered the city to Venice, in order to form a coalition against the Ottoman Empire. During Venetian rule the city adopted the Statutes of Scutari, a civic law written in Venetian, which also contained Albanian elements such as Besa and Gjakmarrja.[12]

Culture

Shkodër is an important educational and industrial center. The city produces various mechanical and electrical components, along with textile and food products. Luigj Gurakuqi University of Shkodër is one of the more prestigious learning centers of Albania. The public library of the city contains more than 250,000 books. Several other cultural institutions exist, such as the Cultural Center, the Marubi Photo Archives, the Artists and Writers Association, the "Migjeni" Theater (named after Millosh Gjergj Nikolla), the Gallery of Arts, and the Museum of History. Shkodër is the center of Albanian Catholicism and the most prominent city of illyrian Catholics in Albania. Historic cultural architecture includes the Castle of Shkodër. The Castle of Shkodër became famous during the First Balkan War when it was protected. Many festivals take place on an annual basis such as Carnival, Children Festival, Lake Day, and Shkodra Jazz Fest.

Music

City tunes differ from the rural music of the land, but both enjoy popularity in Shkodra. Northern music is a refined combination of romantic and sophisticated undertones with oriental-sounding scales and a constant interplay of major and minor. It bears a significant affinity with the sevdalinke of Bosnia and the neighboring region of Raska Oblast in Serbia, but differs from them in their extreme forms while maintaining a typically Albanian quality through the exceptional fluidity of rhythm and tempo. Early descriptions of such music groups, which date from the end of the 19th century, suggest use of the violin, clarinet, saze, defi, and sometimes Indian-style harmonium and percussion (provided by rattling a stick between two bottles). Today, the accordion and guitar have replaced the more exotic instruments. Among the most important players are Bik Ndoja, Luçije Miloti, Xhevdet Hafizi and Bujar Qamili.

The city and the surrounding area are blessed with a large variety of natural and cultural elements. The most attractive quarters of the city are commonly thought to be Pjaca, identifiable as the main city centre between statues of Mother Teresa and Luigj Gurakuqi, and Gjuhadol, the neighborhood around one of the most scenic streets connecting the Cathedral on the east side of town with the middle of the city. The most recognizable memorial is the legendary castle of Rozafa known also as Rozafati.

Rozafa Castle at the top of a hill overlooking the Buna Built during the Illyrian reign, the castle has sprouted a legend explaining the keeping of a promise. Rozafa, the bride of the youngest of three brothers, was walled up alive in the mortar of the walls of the castle to ward off evil that was destroying them each night. The calcareous water passing through the stones at the main entrance is connected in the folk fantasy with the milk of the bosom of Rozafa, which she requested be left available to nurse her newborn baby boy. She also requested that one foot be used to rock his cradle and one arm to lull him to sleep. Inside the ancient walls is a museum dedicated to the history and legends of the castle. Lake of Shkodër is the biggest lake of the Balkans peninsula. It is a major summer attraction for tourists and inhabitants. Another interesting historical site is the ruins of Shurdhah (Sarda), a medieval town situated only 15 km from Shkodër. To go out there you must take a motor-boat from the dam of Vau i Dejës out to the island where Shurdhah is located (about 10 miles, or 16 km). Shurdhah was built atop a hill on the island, roughly 5 ha in area, surrounded by the waters of the Drini river (which has been rerouted now to form an artificial lake). At one time it was the summer retreat of the famous Dukagjini Family. About 5 km east of Shkodër lies the medieval citadel of Drisht. Many visitors feel that Shkodër is the soul of Albania. The very characteristic appearance of the city is formed by the juxtaposition of ancient houses and narrow streets joined with stone walls and modern buildings. After World War II, some of Shkodër was rebuilt with wider streets to accommodate automotive traffic, and new residential buildings are being constructed all the time. Shkodër is also the home of Loro-Boriçi Stadium, the second biggest stadium in Albania.