Plereji - Ardijejci

Na našem interesnom području od Konavala na istoku i poluotoka Pelješca na zapadu (teritorij nekadašnje Dubrovačke Republike) živjeli su ilirsko pleme Plereji (po nekim izvorima njihov životni prostor bio je područje od Boke kotorske do Neretve)

O njima se vrlo malo zna sve dok nisu potpali pod vlast (ili se asimilirali) Ardijejcima.

Oni formiraju ilirsku državu od Vojuše u Albaniji pa sve do Neretve. U III. st. prije Krista kad su na vrhuncu svoje moći, sukobljavaju se s Rimom, a 135. g. prije Krista doživljavaju konačni poraz.  

John Wilkes, poznati britanski povjesničar, napisao je mnogo o Ilirima, uključujući i Ardijejce. U svojoj knjizi “The Illyrians” opisuje Ardijejce kao jedno od najmoćnijih ilirskih plemena koje je dominiralo zapadnim Balkanom tijekom helenističkog razdoblja.

Ardijejci su bili poznati po svojoj ratničkoj kulturi i pomorskim vještinama. Često su se bavili gusarenjem po Jadranskom moru, koristeći male, brze brodove zvane lembe. Njihova moć i utjecaj trajali su sve do rimskog osvajanja.

Wilkes također ističe da su Ardijejci imali složenu društvenu strukturu i bogatu materijalnu kulturu, uključujući izradu oružja, nakita i keramike.

The most notable example of this was the rise of a new power

based on the Ardiaei, an lllyrian people on the south Adriatic

coast well placed to profit from the decline of Epirus after the

death of Pyrrhus. Agron, son of Pleuratus, belonged to the

ruling house of the Ardiaei: 'Agron was king of that part of

Illyria which borders the Adriatic sea, over which sea Pyrrhus

and his successors had held sway. In turn he captured part of

Epirus and also Corcyra, Epidamnus and Pharos in succession,

and established garrisons in them' (Appian Illyrike 7).

power disposed of 'the most powerful lorcc, both by land and

sea, of any of the kings who had reigned in Illyria before him\

we are informed by Polybius (2.1). The Illyrians used the

lembus, a small and fast warship with a single bank of oars

which could carry 50 soldiers in addition to the rowers. Raids

by sea from the Adriatic were probably a familiar threat to the

northwestern Greeks. What was new was the use of a land

army to follow up and profit from victories gained by the

navy.

While the Romans were launching their first attacks on the

Delmatae, we hear little of the southern Illyrians following the

defeat of Gentius. In 135 BC Ardiaei and Pleraci are reported

to have made an attack on 'Roman Illyria' and, on refusing to

make amends, were the target of an expedition by the consul

Servius Fulvius Flaccus (Appian Illyrike 10)." J. Wlkes