For centuries, the history of the Balkans has been rewritten, misinterpreted, and politicized. Nowhere is this more evident than in the battle over the legacy of Epirus, Macedon, and Alexander the Great. While Greeks and Slavs argue over his identity, one truth has been consistently erased: the indigenous people who have the most substantial cultural, linguistic, and genetic ties to the ancient populations of the western Balkans are the Albanians.

This article presents the case, based on genetic studies, linguistic continuity, archaeological evidence, and historical sources, that Albanians are the authentic descendants of the Illyrians and the true heirs of Epirus and parts of ancient Macedonia.

1. Genetic Continuity: The Illyrian Bloodline Lives On

In 2023, a groundbreaking genetic study revealed that modern Albanians have direct paternal lineage continuity from Bronze Age and Roman-era western Balkan populations, commonly identified with the ancient Illyrians. This was confirmed by DNA testing of over 6,000 ancient Balkan remains (Reich Lab, 2023).

“Remarkably, Albanian paternal ancestry shows continuity from Bronze Age Balkan populations, including those known as Illyrians.”

This means that Albanians are one of the few Balkan peoples who did not undergo complete ethnic replacement during the Slavic invasions of the 6th–7th centuries AD.

2. Language as a Living Fossil: Albanian and Illyrian Roots

Albanian is a unique branch of the Indo-European family, with no close modern relatives. Linguists such as Gustav Meyer and Eqrem Çabej have long shown that the Albanian language preserves pre-Greek and Illyrian vocabulary, personal names, and place names.

Many Albanian words and toponyms directly align with what we know of Illyrian (e.g. “bardh” from Bardylis, “mal” for mountain, etc.).

Albanian is the only surviving descendant of the Paleo-Balkan linguistic world, preserving Illyrian structures lost in Greek and Slavic languages.

3. Epirus and Macedon: Illyrian Lands Before Hellenism

Ancient sources such as Thucydides and Strabo refer to the tribes of Epirus (Chaones, Thesprotians, Molossians) as “barbarians”—a Greek term for non-Greek speakers. Similarly, Macedonians were seen as foreign by the Athenians until Philip II strategically aligned himself with Hellenic identity.

Demosthenes: “Philip is not only no Greek… he is not even a respectable barbarian!”

The ruling dynasties may have adopted Greek culture, but their subjects remained culturally Illyrian for generations. The Illyrian identity of Pyrrhus of Epirus—often called “the first Alexander”—is another link between Macedon, Epirus, and Albanian heritage.

4. Skanderbeg and the Rebirth of Illyrian Legacy

Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, Albania’s national hero, was known in Europe as the “Prince of Epirus and Macedonia.” He saw himself as heir to Alexander the Great and Pyrrhus of Epirus—not just in military skill, but in blood.

Latin sources call him: “Dominus Albaniae, Princeps Epiri et Macedoniae”.

He revived the ancient Illyrian spirit of resistance and unity—defending the Balkans against Ottoman conquest for 25 years.

5. Why the Truth Was Buried

Greek and Slavic national movements in the 19th–20th centuries depended on claiming ancient history as theirs—while labeling Albanians as newcomers, Turks, or barbarians. This strategy led to the systematic erasure of the Illyrian-Albanian connection in education, media, and museums.

But the truth is no longer hidden. DNA, linguistics, archaeology, and honest history are now aligning with what Albanians have always known.

Conclusion: Reclaiming the Illyrian Voice

Albanians are not outsiders to the Balkans—they are the heart of its ancient history. The people of Epirus and parts of Macedon were not Greek or Slavic, but Illyrian, and their bloodline, language, and memory survive in Albanians today.

It’s time the world hears what history tried to silence: Alexander may have embraced Hellenism, but his roots, like those of Epirus and Macedon, lie in Illyria.

Let us reclaim that truth—for heritage, for justice, and for the generations to come.

Sources:

1. Reich Lab Ancient DNA Study (2023): https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.05.543790v1.full
2. Robin Lane Fox, Alexander the Great (1973)
3. Eugene Borza, In the Shadow of Olympus (1990)
4. Nicholas Hammond, Epirus: The Geography, the Ancient Remains, the History and Topography of Epirus and Adjacent Areas (1967)
5. Gustav Meyer, Etymologisches Wörterbuch der albanesischen Sprache (1891)
6. Miranda Green, Exploring the World of the Celts (1992) – reference on Illyrian tribes
7. Albanian Academy of Sciences: Archaeological and Linguistic Findings (various publications)

 

 

see also https://youtu.be/tDefmV3anI8?si=tpX8RSR-xC4ymTJn