The serpents and their place in the world of the Illyrians

 The aim of this text is to shed light on the relationship between ancient Illyria and serpents which are often considered as an important part of folk beliefs of people in this region up to these days. Through various kind of sources – Greek and Roman texts, Albanian folklore, archaeological evidence, and Christian legends – we can take whole another view on this widely unknown region that was a target of prejudice and fear in time of Greek and Roman civilizations. The reconstruction of the role of serpents in Illyrian thought can also add some information to the scarce amount of knowledge we have about them