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How the state of Epirus was born and the story of Pyrrhus, the greatest commander in history

2022-12-18 21:51:29Histori SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
How the state of Epirus was born and the story of Pyrrhus, the greatest
Pyrrhus of Epirus

Territory and population

In the ancient period, it stretched from the mountains of Llogara and Kudša to the middle flow of the Vjosa in the north and up to the bay of Ambrakia and the borders of Aetolia in the south, from the mountains of Pindi in the east to the shores of the Ionian Sea in the west , constituted a separate geographical-political unit historically formed and known by the name of Epirus, from the old Greek Apeiros which means land, land.

By the word Epirus, the Greek authors originally meant any continental country facing the islands. With this meaning, for example, Homer calls Acarnania Epirus, and later also Thucydides. This is what the inhabitants of the Ionian Islands called the coasts opposite them, starting from their island position.

This name, used at first as a general name to designate the continental position of the ethnically Illyrian province opposite them, was later transformed into a separate geographical notion, attributed to a separate province with more or less historically determined.

In this sense, the name Epirus is encountered for the first time in the Greek writer of the last century. The sixth person, Hecataeus, when he says that Orikus is the port of Epirus, and a little later in Pindar, who calls Epirus "famous for its splendid hilly spaces ... beginning from Dodona to the shores of the Ionian."

In the second half of the century IV persona, with the transformation of the Molossian community into a new federal state, called Epirot, which included most of the population of this territory having a single citizenship, Epirot, the name Epirus now takes on a clearly defined political meaning.

The Greek writer of the c. The fourth person counts at this time in Epirus only 14 tribes, but from other historical-epigraphical sources it appears that this number was much larger.

Of the most important Illyrian tribes, which played an important role in the political history of this province, the Thesprots, Kaons, Molos, etc. are especially mentioned. There were constant wars between these tribes for territorial and political supremacy and there was a tendency for separatism among their individual rulers. This situation continued at least until the beginning of the century. IV peso, when the Molossian kings managed to impose themselves on many of the neighboring Epirote tribes and create a powerful kingdom, with a federal basis, which the Greek authors called Koino of the Molossians.

ALLIANCE (SYMAHIA) EPIROTES

The formation of the state of the Epirotes and its political organization

In the second half of the century In the 4th century, changes of special importance occurred in the state organization of Epirus. The League of the Molossians is now transformed into a new form of state of an ever-federal character, as before, but with a new constitutional designation, called the Alliance of the Epirotes.

This state of the Epirotes, as it results from the various source data of the time, was formed by the union of the state of the Molossians with its allies (symahoi), with Kasopene and the neighboring cities of Elea, as well as with the state of the Thesprotes.

The motives that led to the legal consolidation of this new state organization are not precisely known; likewise, there are different opinions about the exact date of this event, placing it at the time of Alexander or shortly after his death when his wife Cleopatra was regent. If it is to be accepted that the organization of this new state form was done by Alexander the Molossian, before he started the war campaign in Italy, then this must have been the result of the further strengthening of the Molossian Kingdom. But, if its formation happened after the death of Alexander, this organization should be seen as a consequence of the weakness of the authority of the Molossian rulers. However, it is certain

From the point of view of the form of government, the Epirote Federation represented a federal state with a monarchical base and equal rights for all its participants. In the framework of this federation, every large or small ethnic community had its own internal organization, the People's Assembly. The communities participated in the governance of the Epirote state through the college of their representatives (damiorg), which emerged from each separate ethnic community.

The governing institutions of this state did not differ functionally from those of the Molossian League. The change of their names from molos to epirots, do not yet express any real differentiation of state institutions. In this regard, it can be said that the League of Molossians continues, expands, but without weakening, in a new form, that of the Epirote state.

At the head of the state stood the king, who was always chosen from the Molossian royal family of the traditional Eakid dynasty, but now as king of the Epirote state. As before, his power continued to be limited by the prostate, which although retaining the title "of the Molossians" exercised its authority over the entire territory of the Epirote state. He had the task of guarding the laws, organizing the meetings of the assembly of the Epirote subjects, leading them, becoming an interpreter between the king and the subjects in the exchange of mutual promises in the temple of Zeus Arcios, in Passaron, etc.

The Eklesia of the Molossians now gives way to a new wider assembly where the population of the entire Epirote state participated. This assembly with legislative functions, which also approved state decrees, was called Symahia of the Epirotes.

This federation with a marked political-military character also dealt with special economic and financial issues that were in its function. So e.g. on the basis of a decretal inscription of the years 317-312 pesos, found in Dodona, it is concluded that the customs revenues were set to be collected for the account of this alliance.

With the creation of this Epirote confederal constitution, the previous monetary system also changed. The coins of Molos, Thesprotes and Kasopas, which until then circulated in Epirus as autonomous coins, are now replaced by a common denomination for all of Epirus, which is clearly reflected in their legend, "of the Epirotes". It is not known exactly where these coins of Symahia were minted. It can be thought that it was Dodona, where the existence of a monetary workshop will be proven later. But this does not exclude the possibility that they were cut in some other place, such as in Pasaron.

The Epirote Alliance, with all the changes it may have undergone during its lifetime, historically continued to exist for about a century until 334-233 CE, when it was replaced by the Epirote Republican League.

The new Epirote state in the last quarter of the century. IV person

After the death of Alexander the Great, the state of Epirus found itself in front of serious difficulties, caused by internal quarrels between different political groups of the ruling strata, as well as by the creation of unfavorable external situations, which led to the disruption of the balance in relations between the state of Epirus and Macedonia.

Olympias was now placed at the head of the war against Macedonia. This began after the death of his brother, who returned to his homeland to oppose Antipatres of Alexander the Macedonian, with whom he was in opposition. Arriving in Epirus, she relieved Cleopatra (330-328 pesos) of her regency and began to rule the Epirote state as the guardian of her infant nephew, Neoptolemus II for a while and together with Ajakid, the son of Arryba.

In the year 317, Olympia's efforts to take power in Macedonia were crowned with success, but only for a short time, as she was forced to give it up due to the military pressure exerted on her by Kassander, the son of Antipater. Followed by him, Olympias took refuge in Pella, where she waited in vain for help from Ajakid, since a large part of his army opposed the decision to enter into war with Macedonia. This revolt of the soldiers activated pro-Macedonian elements in the background, who forced the council of the alliance to finally expel Ajakid from the throne and restore ties with Macedonia. Tired of the long siege, hunger, and relentless enemy attacks, Olympias finally surrendered and was killed by her opponents. This defeat on the war front gave rise to a furious wave of persecution against Ajakid's supporters.

In order to quell the anti-Macedonian resistance in the country, Cassander established a regime of occupation in Epirus. He did this, it seems, in order to be free in carrying out his policy of conquest on the shores of the Ionian and the Adriatic. But this continuous political and social pressure of Macedonia caused an uncontrollable wave of anger among the Epirote population, which jumped into open opposition to the violators of its rights. Ajakidi used this dissatisfaction. After returning home in 313, with the help of his supporters from Aetolia, he was able to easily organize the Epirote army and attacked his internal and external opponents. This happened at a time when Macedonia had just begun the war against the Aetolians and Illyrians. However, this Ajakid campaign did not succeed and the king himself was killed on the battlefield.

The situation in Epirus did not change even later, when Alcetas II, the son of Ajakid, was placed at the head of the Epirote state. He made many attempts to break away from Macedonia, but despite temporary successes, he was finally forced to accept peace with his opponent on favorable terms. Alketa II had to change his policy and make an alliance with Macedonia. This action created a strong opposition in Epirus, against which he fought fiercely, but to no avail. Meanwhile, his arbitrary actions caused the anger of the population, which erupted in a vengeful uprising and ended with the murder of Alketa II and his sons.

In the year 307 it seemed as if the situation would change. Glaucia, not looking kindly on the strengthening of Macedonian influence in Epirus, intervened forcefully in its internal affairs and placed the 12-year-old Pyrrhus on the royal throne and with him his influence. But this did not last more than 5 years, as Cassander organized with his men the dethronement of Pyrrhus, at a time when he had not yet strengthened his positions, and placed Neoptolemus II on the throne. Located at this time outside of Epirus, Pyrrhus was placed in the service of the Hellenistic rulers, Demeter Poliorketes and Ptolemy of Egypt for several years. In these countries he had the opportunity to see and learn a lot both from the social life and from the martial art of these countries, where he distinguished himself by showing skill,

In 297, the death of Cassander of Macedonia and the anger of the Epirote population against the arbitrary rule of Neoptolemus II, helped Pyrrhus to return to his homeland. For this action he was also supported by Ptolemy, who hoped to have in the person of Pyrrhus an effective support for his plans in Greece. After landing on the shores of Epirus with his own military forces brought from Egypt and finding the support of the people who, according to Plutarch, welcomed him by greeting him with the surname "Eagle", Pyrrhus was finally placed on the throne of the Epirote Kingdom. At first he tried to strengthen his position in Epirus, and he achieved this patiently, sharing the throne for a time with Neoptolemus II, who still had supporters in the ruling circles. When he achieved this goal, and,

Epirus during the reign of Pyrrhus (297-272 BCE)

From an unstable policy gnawed by internal contradictions and external pressures, the Epirote state now moves to an independent energetic policy, with a broad perspective in the field of strengthening state power and its territorial expansion, which were realized with a speed and in a manner never seen before. During the reign of Pyrrhus the Epirote state becomes an imposing power of the time with a strong royal power, a great military potential as well as a prominent political authority in the Mediterranean world of this time.

Pyrrhus established diplomatic relations with several powerful states of the time and strengthened the ties with numerous marriages he made with the daughters of their rulers. Since he was at the court of Ptolemy I, Pyrrhus had married his daughter Antigone, later after her death, Lanase, daughter of Agathocles of Syracuse, from whom he took as a dowry Corcyra, which he had conquered, and then also with the daughters of the Illyrian rulers, Audoleon of the Paiones and Bardhyl the Younger. Pirroja paid special attention to the organization of the army, the elaboration of an effective war strategy, for which he had great theoretical knowledge, as well as the increase of the army's combat capability. He also favored the economic and cultural progress of the country which was reflected in the development and further intensification of the urbanization of Epirus. A dense building activity took place in the existing cities such as Dodona, Ambraki or in other new Epirote cities, including Berenike, Kasopi and Antigonea in Kaoni, which bear names that are certainly related to the time of the rule of Pyrrhus. The very beautiful and well-preserved houses of Amotopos in Molosi, where the ancient Fylakeja is thought to have been, testify to a high level of construction art at this time.

Pirroja designed an active expansionist foreign policy. He intervened in the complicated affairs of the Greco-Macedonian and Italic worlds with the view of creating a great Epirote state, which would include the Balkans and across the sea, the Italian Peninsula.

First, Pyrrhus directed attention from Macedonia, where after the death of Cassander, turmoil had erupted over the succession to the throne. He used this difficult situation of Macedonia to intervene in its internal affairs as a supporter of Alexander, the son of Cassander. On this occasion, Pyrrhus separated from Macedonia several provinces that were under her control at that time, namely Tymfa and Paraune, the Epirotes occupied by Philip II, Amphilokina, Acarnania and Ambrakia, which he made the capital of his kingdom.

Good neighborly relations with Macedonia did not last long and were broken in the year 294, when Demeter Poliorketi eliminated his ally Alexander and took the reins of the Macedonian Kingdom. In this situation, Pyrrhus being no longer secure in the eastern borders of his kingdom, he was in open opposition to the new Macedonian ruler and joined the anti-Macedonian alliance that was created a little later in Greece. In 289 BCE, Demetrius, wanting to impose himself on his opponents, invaded Aetolia and attacked Epirus, but Pyrrhus immediately countered. After defeating the Macedonians in Aetolia, causing them very heavy losses, he forced them to retreat from Epirus as well.

A little later, the coalition of Hellenistic rulers began to act against Demetrius of Macedonia: Ptolemy of Egypt set out with a large fleet and raised the cities of Greece against him, while Lysimachus, ruler of Thrace and part of Asia Minor, entered North Macedonia by desolating it. This situation also set Pyrrhus in motion, who attacked Macedonia from the south. He turned to the city of Edisa, and conquered it without encountering any great resistance, since the most important forces of Demetrius' army were deployed in the north against Lysimachus. Meanwhile, Pirroja advanced without any resistance from the Macedonians and even managed to be proclaimed their king. But this situation did not last long, as he was forced to share his possessions in Macedonia with Lysimachus, who claimed to have aided in the successes of Pyrrhus by pinning down for a time numerous forces of Demetrius on the northern border of Macedonia. These concessions of Pyrrhus avoided the possible conflict with Lysimachus, but did not eliminate the contradictions between them.

At this time, the possessions of the Epirote state in the Balkans reached their greatest expansion. Pyrrhus now ruled not only over all of Epirus, but also over a large part of Macedonia and Thessaly to the east, over the Greek provinces to the south of Epirus, which included Ambrakia, Amphilokia and Akarnania. In the north, his possessions extended over a small part of Illyria, as well as over several islands of the Ionian Sea, which included Korkyra. This territorial space, however, did not constitute a stable political organization around a powerful central nucleus, nor a community of territories and populations united by common interests, but a conglomeration of peoples with unequal social, economic and political development, subdued by the Epirote army headed by Pyrrhus as commander. This was the reason that these possessions, in the most favorable case, they broke away from the dependence of Epirus. And this case appeared immediately after the defeat of Demetrius in Asia. Lysimachus now feeling himself free and the time opportune to annex the whole of Macedonia, marched with great forces against Pyrrhus, and compelled him to give up his conquests in Macedonia and Thessaly.

Meanwhile, events took place in Southern Italy, which did not fail to draw the attention of the Epirot ruler, especially now after the defeat of Macedonia. The Greek cities of Southern Italy, with which Epirus had long established trade relations, weakened by the war and competition between them, were not able to eradicate the harsh contradictions that characterized the relations between them.

This situation was successfully exploited by Rome, which intervened to resolve these contradictions to its advantage. But this fact aroused dissatisfaction among the Tarentines, who entered into open conflict with the Romans. Not being able to withstand the superiority of the Roman forces, with whom the Lucanians, Messapians and Tarentines joined as allies, they asked for Pyrrhus' help.

The Epirote state was given the opportunity for the second time to actively intervene in the internal affairs of the cities of Southern Italy. The ruling districts of Epirus welcomed this invitation, hoping that the war in Italy would bring them great benefits. Pyrrhus gladly answered this call, thinking that the time had come to take the important step in forming a great empire in the west.

Pirro in Italy

In the year 280, at the head of a large army consisting mainly of contingents of Molossians, Thesprotes and Caonians (20,000 infantry, 3,000 cavalry, 2,000 boatmen and 500 slingers), Pyrrhus set out for Italy, having with him and 200 elephants. On reaching Tarent he immediately took measures to put the city in a position of war; he recruited soldiers from the citizen population and at the head of the united forces came before the Roman army that was advancing towards the city. The two opposing armies met near Heracles. Here the first battle took place, in which Pyrrhus won a brilliant victory, which raised the authority of the Epirote king in the eyes of the allies. The Italic tribes opposing Rome, as well as most of the Greek cities of Southern Italy, now went to his side.

Heracles' victory, however, did not settle the fate of the war. In 277 BC, Rome mustered another large force and forced Pyrrhus to go to war with him again. But in a fierce and bloody battle that took place near Askuli, Pyrrhus managed to defeat the Romans for the second time. They could not withstand the tactical combat maneuvering of Pyrrhus, much less the furious attack of the elephants, which brought panic to the Roman army. Pirroja won this time as well, but this victory cost him very big losses. Since then such victories with defeat became customary to be called pyrrhic victories or "Pyrrhic victories". Despite Pyrrhus's first rapid and sensational successes, his situation in Italy became more and more difficult. The Epirote forces located far from their homeland, they kept getting smaller and weaker, while Rome still had plenty of material and human reserves to continue the war. Pirroja, however, did not withdraw from his campaign in Italy. However, without yet concluding the peace with the Romans, he left for Sicily to help Syracuse, which had been attacked by the Carthaginians. To control the situation in Italy, he left only a few garrisons.

In the year 276, the allied Epirote, Greek and Italic forces led by Pyrrhus badly defeated the invaders of the island and tamed them from almost all of Sicily. This swift and brilliant victory increased Pyrrhus' political and military power so much that the Sicilians declared him their leader and king. But Pirroja, as always unrestrained in his bold political aspirations, immediately began to entertain the thought of going to Africa even though he was not yet sure of the situation in Italy. Firm in his decision, he set about the preparation of the fleet and the organization of the army, not thinking that they required large human and financial reserves, which the Sicilians, tired of the wars and the anarchy that had plagued the country after the death of Agathocles, could not to provide them. On the other hand, the arbitrary intervention of Pyrrhus in the internal affairs of the cities of Sicily and the violation by him of their democratic traditions, caused Pyrrhus to lose day by day more and more faith in the island and became the object of attacks and conspiracies dangerous to his life and the fate of the Epirote army. This internal situation, full of turmoil and uncertainty, was immediately exploited by Carthagena, which sent large armies to reconquer the island. Supported now also by the opposition cities, the Carthaginians easily managed to inflict defeat on the Epirote king. Only Syracuse remained in his hands, but even that he had to give up, since at this time the Romans had resumed attacks against his allies and garrisons in Italy. Upon returning to Italy, Pyrrhus reorganized his forces and those of his allies, and immediately turned against the two Roman consuls, who with their legions were operating in different directions. In this situation he decided to break them apart, as long as they were not yet united. He surprised the Roman legion near Benevento. The third and last battle for Pyrrhus in Italy took place here, where he suffered a complete defeat. After retreating with great losses in Tarentum, Pyrrhus tried to ask for help from Antigonus Gonatas and Antiochus of Syria to continue the war against Rome, but in vain. Tired and without any hope of accomplishing his goals alone in the Italian Peninsula, he returned to Epirus with the Epirote army that was left of him, leaving only his son Helenus in Tarentum. who with their legions were operating in different directions. In this situation he decided to break them apart, as long as they were not yet united. He surprised the Roman legion near Benevento. The third and last battle for Pyrrhus in Italy took place here, where he suffered a complete defeat. After retreating with great losses in Tarentum, Pyrrhus tried to ask for help from Antigonus Gonatas and Antiochus of Syria to continue the war against Rome, but in vain. Tired and without any hope of accomplishing his goals alone in the Italian Peninsula, he returned to Epirus with the Epirote army that was left of him, leaving only his son Helenus in Tarentum. who with their legions were operating in different directions. In this situation he decided to break them apart, as long as they were not yet united. He surprised the Roman legion near Benevento. The third and last battle for Pyrrhus in Italy took place here, where he suffered a complete defeat. After retreating with great losses in Tarentum, Pyrrhus tried to ask for help from Antigonus Gonatas and Antiochus of Syria to continue the war against Rome, but in vain. Tired and without any hope of accomplishing his goals alone in the Italian Peninsula, he returned to Epirus with the Epirote army that was left of him, leaving only his son Helenus in Tarentum. He surprised the Roman legion near Benevento. The third and last battle for Pyrrhus in Italy took place here, where he suffered a complete defeat. After retreating with great losses in Tarentum, Pyrrhus tried to ask for help from Antigonus Gonatas and Antiochus of Syria to continue the war against Rome, but in vain. Tired and without any hope of accomplishing his goals alone in the Italian Peninsula, he returned to Epirus with the Epirote army that was left of him, leaving only his son Helenus in Tarentum. He surprised the Roman legion near Benevento. The third and last battle for Pyrrhus in Italy took place here, where he suffered a complete defeat. After retreating with great losses in Tarentum, Pyrrhus tried to ask for help from Antigonus Gonatas and Antiochus of Syria to continue the war against Rome, but in vain. Tired and without any hope of accomplishing his goals alone in the Italian Peninsula, he returned to Epirus with the Epirote army that was left of him, leaving only his son Helenus in Tarentum.

In the war against Rome, Pyrrhus engaged large Epirote and allied forces, which covered the opponent's legions quite well and successfully maneuvered for a time in combat operations, using a tactical system of combat from the most advanced of the time. However, the army commanded by Pyrrhus differed in composition and fighting spirit from that of the opponent. It did not have the compactness of the Roman army made up of its own subjects, but was rather an army of mercenaries, better armed and led by a talented strategist, but who had embarked on a military adventure.

After the failure of the Italian campaign, Pirroja tried to use the situation created in the Balkans in his favor. First, he decided to take over Macedonia. In the year 274 he went to war with its ruler Antigonus Gonata, who, as long as Pyrrhus was fighting in Italy, had succeeded in consolidating his power either in Macedonia or over a part of Greece. He managed to conquer a wide territory of Macedonia. Only the part east of the Vardar River remained for Antigonus. It was clear that the Epirotes could not become masters of all of Macedonia as long as Antigonus still held coastal Macedonia and the sea routes. Under these circumstances, Pyrrhus decided to fight the opponent in the Peloponnese, which was under his control. In the year 272 people, without yet securing his positions in the conquered lands of Macedonia, he reached Laconia. Here he had to withstand the pressure of the Spartan and Macedonian forces united against the Epirote danger. After reaping a series of new victories, Pyrrhus finally attacked Sparta and Argos, with whom he fought fierce battles, but without results. During the fights in the streets of Argos, Pyrrhus was wounded and, as he was crushed, he fell into the hands of the opponents, who killed him. The Epirote army, left without a leader, was disorganized and finally disbanded. During the fights in the streets of Argos, Pyrrhus was wounded and, as he was crushed, he fell into the hands of the opponents, who killed him. The Epirote army, left without a leader, was disorganized and finally disbanded. During the fights in the streets of Argos, Pyrrhus was wounded and, as he was crushed, he fell into the hands of the opponents, who killed him. The Epirote army, left without a leader, was disorganized and finally disbanded.

Me luftërat e tij pushtuese në Ballkan, Itali dhe në Sicili, Pirroja e rriti shumë fuqinë politike të shtetit epirot dhe autoritetin e tij në botën mesdhetare. Gjatë sundimit të tij, Epiri arriti të bëhet një nga shtetet më të fuqishme të kohës helenistike.

Në këto luftëra Pirroja pati përkrahjen e plotë të aristokracisë e të skllavopronarëve epirotë, gjithnjë të etshëm për pushtime e lavdi, kurse si mbështetje kishte ushtrinë e vet të stërvitur mirë, të përbërë kryesisht nga fshatarë të lirë, të gatshëm për të luftuar, meqë lufta për ta ishte një mjet fitimi, burim plaçke dhe pasurie. Në këto suksese të veprimeve ushtarake ndikoi edhe situata e jashtme e favorshme për të, dhe pikërisht turbullirat e anarkia që krijoheshin herë pas here në shtetet fqinje nga rrethanat e ndryshme politike.

Këto suksese të shpejta luftarake, megjithëse jo të qëndrueshme, i duhen atribuar në një farë mase dhe vetë manovrimit taktik, të përsosur për atë kohë, të forcave ushtarake gjatë luftimit, që ishte kryesisht meritë e aftësive të shquara taktiko-luftarake të Pirros.

Fitoret e njëpasnjëshme dhe guximi i tij i provuar në beteja të shumta, e rritën së tepërmi autoritetin e Pirros në sy të bashkëluftëtarëve të vet dhe e forcuan aq shumë pushtetin e tij, sa që arriti të sundonte dhe të vepronte i lirë nga çdo kufizim kushtetues i aleancës epirote mbi territoret e pushtuara. Në këtë drejtim ai shkoi aq larg sa caktoi, siç duket, edhe fëmijët e tij si mbretër trashëgimtarë në Itali dhe në Sicili.

Në këto vende Pirroja preu, në kundërshtim me kushtetutën federative epirote, edhe monedha ari e argjendi personale me legjendë “Mbreti Pirro”; por ato, siç kuptohet nga mungesa e tyre në trevat e Epirit, nuk duhet të jenë lejuar të qarkullonin brenda territorit të Aleancës, ku vazhdonin të kishin vlerë vetëm prerjet tradicionale të Federatës së epirotëve.

Në qoftë se në territoret e pushtuara Pirroja sillej si monark i pakufizuar, brenda Aleancës ai mbetej ashtu si dhe më parë mbret i molosëve dhe udhëheqës me pushtet të kufizuar i Federatës epirote.

Pirroja qe një nga strategët më të mëdhenj të kohës helenistike. Kur e pyetën njërin nga shokët e Aleksandrit të Maqedonisë, se kush ishte tani strategu më i shquar, ai iu përgjigj: “Pirroja kur të arrijë moshën e pjekurisë”.

Sipas Plutarkut, gjenerali i madh Hanibali e cilësonte Pirron si komandanti më i madh në botë që ai e kishte parë dhe e renditi atë menjëherë pas Aleksandrit të Madh, ndërsa veten të tretin pas Pirros së Epirit.

Dhe për të mbyllur më thënien e Plutarkut: “Opinioni i përgjithshëm për Pirron ishte: ai kishte një përvojë të madhe luftarake, të guximshme, por kishte dhe trimëri e vlera personale, nuk kishte asnjë të barabartë me të në mesin e mbretërve të kohës”.

Talenti i tij ushtarak nuk plotësohej me largpamjen e një politikani të matur dhe të pjekur. Synimet e tij ambicioze u bënë pa llogaritur mirë tendencat e zhvillimit të vrullshëm ekonomik dhe politik të shtetit të ri romak dhe potencialin ushtarak të tij, si dhe mundësitë e kufizuara materiale e njerëzore të Aleancës Epirote. Për këtë arsye dhe humbja përfundimtare e Pirros në këtë ndërmarrje të madhe përtej Adriatikut qe një përfundim i natyrshëm dhe i pashmangshëm.

Fundi i sistemit monarkik në Epir

Pas vdekjes së Pirros, Aleanca Epirote filloi gradualisht të humbiste fuqinë e saj të mëparshme politike dhe ushtarake. Me gjithë përpjekjet e bëra për të ruajtur zotërimet e mëparshme në Maqedoni, në Greqi dhe në Iliri, ajo qe e detyruar më në fund të tërhiqej prej tyre. Trashëgimtarit të Pirros, Aleksandrit, që në fillim iu imponua një luftë e rrezikshme nga mbreti i ilirëve Mytili, të cilën më vështirësi mundi ta përballonte. Kurse Demetri II, e detyroi atë të hiqte dorë jo vetëm nga Maqedonia, por për një kohë dhe nga vetë Epiri, mbi të cilin vendosi kontrollin e tij. Pasi qe rikthyer në atdhe me ndihmën e etolëve, Aleksandri u përpoq edhe një herë që të rimëkëmbte fuqinë e dikurshme të Aleancës Epirote por më kot, pasi ajo kishte marrë tatëpjetën.

Në vitet 30 të shek. III p.e.sonë, Mbretëria Epirote përjetoi periudhën e fundit të ekzistencës së saj, e mbërthyer në një krizë të ashpër, e cila rrëmbimthi e çoi deri në brerjen e themeleve të regjimit monarkik. Depërtimi gjithnjë e më i thellë i skllavopronarisë në fshatin epirot, po shkatërronte dhe po shpronësonte përherë e më shumë prodhuesit e vegjël të lirë fshatarë, që dikur përbënin masën kryesore dhe më energjike të ushtrisë federative epirote dhe çoi në dobësimin e fuqisë dhe të kompaktësisë ushtarake. Kjo krizë e brendshme u acarua dhe më tepër nga situatat e jashtme jo të favorshme për Aleancën Epirote. Përreth saj vepronin tani shtete të tilla të fuqishme, si Maqedonia, Lidhja Etole dhe Shteti ilir, të cilët kërkonin secili të fusnin nën kontrollin e vet Epirin, meqë ai zinte një pozitë kyçe në planet e politikës së tyre pushtuese. Në këto situata sundimtarët epirotë u treguan të paaftë të qeverisnin vendin.

The Epirote aristocracy, seeing at last that they were no longer able to defend and support its causes as of old, took advantage of the discontent of the people to put an end once and for all to the antiquated monarchical regime in Epirus. She accomplished this with the murder in 234/233 AD of Queen Deidames, who was the last ruler of the Ajakid dynasty for two centuries.


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

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