Illyricum, a region mentioned in the New Testament, holds significance in the context of the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys. The name "Illyricum" refers to a Roman province located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula, which today encompasses parts of modern-day Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Montenegro, and Serbia. This area was known for its rugged terrain and diverse population, including various Illyrian tribes.

Biblical Reference:

The primary biblical reference to Illyricum is found in the Apostle Paul's epistle to the Romans. In Romans 15:19, Paul writes, "by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ" . This passage indicates that Paul had extended his missionary efforts to the region of Illyricum, although the Book of Acts does not provide a detailed account of his activities there.

Historical and Geographical Context:

Illyricum was a significant Roman province during the time of the New Testament. It was strategically located along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, serving as a vital link between the eastern and western parts of the Roman Empire. The Via Egnatia, a major Roman road, facilitated travel and communication across the region, which would have been advantageous for Paul's missionary work.

The inhabitants of Illyricum were known for their warrior culture and resistance to Roman rule, which persisted until the region was fully integrated into the Roman Empire. Despite these challenges, the spread of Christianity in Illyricum is evidenced by Paul's mention of the area in his letter to the Romans, suggesting that the gospel had reached even these remote and resistant territories.

Paul's Missionary Work:

Paul's reference to Illyricum in Romans 15:19 highlights the extensive reach of his missionary endeavors. While the New Testament does not provide specific details about his activities in Illyricum, it is clear that Paul considered his work there as part of his broader mission to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. His mention of "signs and wonders" and the "power of the Spirit of God" underscores the divine empowerment that accompanied his ministry, enabling him to overcome cultural and geographical barriers.

Theological Significance:

From a theological perspective, Paul's mention of Illyricum serves as a testament to the fulfillment of the Great Commission, as recorded in Matthew 28:19-20, where Jesus commands His disciples to "go and make disciples of all nations" . The inclusion of Illyricum in Paul's missionary itinerary reflects the early church's commitment to spreading the gospel beyond the confines of Judea and the Jewish population, reaching into the Gentile world.

Furthermore, Paul's journey to Illyricum exemplifies the apostolic zeal and dedication to evangelism that characterized the early Christian movement. It demonstrates the transformative power of the gospel, capable of reaching diverse cultures and peoples, and highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding and empowering the apostles in their mission.

Conclusion:

Illyricum, though briefly mentioned in the New Testament, represents a significant milestone in the spread of Christianity during the apostolic era. Through the efforts of Paul and other early missionaries, the gospel message transcended geographical and cultural boundaries, laying the foundation for the global church.Illyricum

joy; rejoicing

Illyricum

an extensive district lying along the eastern coast of the Adriatic, from the boundary of Italy on the north of Epirus on the south, and contiguous to Moessia and Macedonia on the east. (Romans 6:19)

Illyricum

A country of Europe, lying east of the Adriatic sea, north of Epirus, and west of Macedonian. It was anciently divided into Liburnia, now Croatia, on the north, and Dalmatia on the south, which still retains its name. See DALMATIA. The limits of Illyricaum varied much at different times. It was reached by Paul, preaching the gospel of Christ, and probably traversed in part, A. D. 57, Romans 15:19.

A country to the north-west of Macedonia, on the eastern shores of the Adriatic, now almost wholly comprehended in Dalmatia, a name formerly given to the southern part of Illyricum (2 Timothy 4:10). It was traversed by Paul in his third missionary journey (Romans 15:19). It was the farthest district he had reached in preaching the gospel of Christ. This reference to Illyricum is in harmony with Acts 20:2, inasmuch as the apostle's journey over the parts of Macedonia would bring him to the borders of Illyricum. ILLYRICUM

i-lir'-i-kum (Illurikon): A province of the Roman Empire, lying East and Northeast of the Adriatic Sea. In his Epistle to the Romans Paul emphasizes the extent of his missionary activities in the assertion that "from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ" (15:19). An examination of this statement involves three questions: What is the force of the preposition "even unto" (mechri)? What meaning is borne by the word Illyricum? and, At what period of his missionary career did Paul reach the limit here spoken of?

1. Force of "even unto":

In Greek, as in English, the preposition "unto" may either be exclusive or inclusive. In other words, Paul may mean that he has preached throughout Macedonia as far as the Illyrian frontier, or his words may involve a journey within Illyricum itself, extending perhaps to Dyrrhachium (mod. Durazzo) on the Adriatic seaboard, which, though belonging politically to Macedonia, lay in "Greek, Illyria." But since no word is said in the Acts of any extension of Paul's travels beyond the confines of Macedonia, and since the phrase, "I have fully preached," precludes a reference to a hurried or cursory tour in Illyricum, we should probably take the word "unto" in its exclusive sense, and understand that Paul claims to have evangelized Macedonia as far as the frontier of Illyricum.

2. Meaning of "Illyricum":

What, then, does the word "Illyricum" denote? It is sometimes used, like the Greek terms Illyris and Illyria, to signify a vast area lying between the Danube on the North and Macedonia and Thrace on the South, extending from the Adriatic and the Alps to the Black Sea, and inhabited by a number of warlike and semi-civilized tribes known to the Greeks under the general title of Illyrians (Appian, Illyr. 1; Suetonius, Tiberius, 16); it thus comprised the provinces of Illyricum (in the narrower sense), Pannonia and Moesia, which for certain financial and military purposes formed a single administrative area, together with a strip of coast land between Dalmatia and Epirus and, at a later date, Dacia. Appian (Illyr. 6) even extends the term to include Raetia and Noricum, but in this he appears to be in error. But Illyricum has also a narrower and more precise meaning, denoting a single Roman province, which varied in extent with the advance of the Roman conquest but was finally organized in 10 A.D. by the emperor Augustus. At first it bore the name superior provincia Illyricum or simply Illyricum; later it came to be known as Dalmatia (Tac. Annals, iv0.5; Josephus, BJ, II, xvi; Dio Cassius, xlix.36, etc.). In accordance with Paul's habitual usage of such terms, together with the fact that he employs a Greek form which is a transliteration of the Latin Illyricum but does not occur in any other extant Greek writer, and the fact that he is here writing to the church at Rome, we may conclude that in Romans 15:19 Illyricum bears its more restricted meaning.

3. Relation to Rome:

The Romans waged two Illyrian wars: in 229-228 B.C. and in 219 B.C., but no province was formed until 167, when, after the fall of the Macedonian power, Illyria received its provincial constitution (Livy, xlv.26). At this time it extended from the Drilo (modern Drin) to Dalmatia, which was gradually subjugated by Roman arms. In 59 B.C. Julius Caesar received as his province Illyricum and Gaul, and later Octavian and his generals, Asinius Pollio and Statilius Taurus, waged war there with such success that in 27 B.C., at the partition of the provinces between Augustus and the Senate, Illyricum was regarded as wholly pacified and was assigned to the latter. Renewed disturbances led, however, to its transference to the emperor in 11 B.C. Two years later the province was extended to the Danube, but in 9 A.D., at the close of the 2nd Pannonian War, it was divided into two separate provinces, Pannonia and Illyricum (Dalmatia). The latter remained an imperial province, administered by a consular legatus Augusti pro praetore residing at Salonae (modern Spalato), and two legions were stationed there, at Delminium and at Burnum. One of these was removed by Nero, the other by Vespasian, and thenceforward the province was garrisoned only by auxiliary troops. It fell into three judicial circuits (conventus), that of Scardona comprising Liburnia, the northern portion of the province, while those of Salonae and Narona made up the district of Dalmatia in the narrower sense. The land was rugged and mountainous, and civilization progressed but slowly; the Romans, however, organized 5 Roman colonies within the province and a considerable number of municipia.

4. Paul's Relation to Illyricum:

The extension of Paul's preaching to the Illyrian frontier must be assigned to his 3rd missionary journey, i.e. to his 2nd visit to Macedonia. His movements during the 1st visit (Acts 16:12-17:15) are too fully recorded to admit of our attributing it to that period, but the account in Acts 20:2 of his second tour is not only very brief, but the words, "when he had gone through those parts," suggest an extensive tour through the province, occupying, according to Ramsay, the summer and autumn of 56 A.D.

See also DALMATIA.

LITERATURE.

A. M. Poinsignon, Quid praecipue apud Romanos adusque Diocletiani tempora Illyricum fuerit (Paris, 1846); Zippe, Die romische Herrschaft in Illyrien bis auf Augustus (Leipzig, 1877); H. Cons, La province romaine de Dalmatie (Paris, 1882); T. Mommsen, CIL, III, pp. 279; T. Mommsen et J. Marquardt, Manuel des antiquites romaines (Fr. T), IX, 171.

M. N. Tod

2437. Illurikon -- Illyricum, a region adjacent to the Adriatic ...
... Illyricum, a region adjacent to the Adriatic Sea. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: Illurikon Phonetic Spelling: (il-loo-ree-kon') Short Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2437.htm - 6k

1149. Dalmatia -- Dalmatia, southern Illyricum on the Adriatic Sea
... Dalmatia, southern Illyricum on the Adriatic Sea. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: Dalmatia Phonetic Spelling: (dal-mat-ee'-ah) Short Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1149.htm - 6k

Letter v. To the Metropolitan Bishops of Illyricum.
... Letter V. To the Metropolitan Bishops of Illyricum. To the Metropolitan Bishops
of Illyricum. (Appointing Anastasius of Thessalonica ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/letter v to the metropolitan.htm

Epistle xxii. To all the Bishops of Illyricum.
... Register of the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great. Epistle XXII. To all the
Bishops of Illyricum. To all the Bishops of Illyricum. [1409] ...
/.../gregory/the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xxii to all the.htm

Letter Xci. To Valerianus, Bishop of Illyricum.
... Letter XCI. To Valerianus, Bishop of Illyricum. Thanks be to the Lord, Who has
permitted me to see in your unstained life the fruit of primitive love. ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter xci to valerianus bishop.htm

Letter xiii. To the Metropolitan Bishops in the Provinces of ...
... Letter XIII. To the Metropolitan Bishops in the Provinces of Illyricum.
To the Metropolitan Bishops in the Provinces of Illyricum. ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/letter xiii to the metropolitan.htm

Synodical Epistle of the Synod in Illyricum Concerning the Faith.
... Book IV. Chapter VIII."Synodical Epistle of the Synod in Illyricum concerning
the Faith. "The bishops of Illyricum to the churches ...
/.../chapter viii synodical epistle of the.htm

Letter vi. To Anastasius, Bishop of Thessalonica.
... Leo to his beloved brother Anastasius. I. He is pleased to have been consulted
by the bishops [39] of Illyricum on important questions. ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/letter vi to anastasius bishop.htm

Letters of the Emperors Valentinianus and Valens, Written to the ...
... Valentinian ordered a council to be held in Illyricum [682] and sent to the
disputants the decrees ratified by the bishops there assembled. ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/chapter vii letters of the emperors.htm

Paul and Silas in Thessalonica and Berea.
... "From Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel
of Christ." Illyricum was a province, or rather the common name of several ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xix paul and silas.htm

Paul's Epistles; his Collection for the Poor Saints at Jerusalem ...
... 128:2] When he reached that district, he was induced to enter on new scenes of
missionary enterprise; and now, "round about unto Illyricum," he "fully preached ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter ix pauls epistles his.htm

Introduction to Ad Afros Epistola Synodica.
... Damasus certainly held at one time a synod of some 90 bishops from Italy and the
Gauls, the letter of which was sent to Illyricum and to the East (Thdt. ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/introduction to ad afros epistola.htm

Illyricum (1 Occurrence)
... on the eastern shores of the Adriatic, now almost wholly comprehended in Dalmatia,
a name formerly given to the southern part of Illyricum (2 Timothy ...ILLYRICUM. ...
/i/illyricum.htm - 13k

Dalmatia (1 Occurrence)
... A mountainous country on the eastern shore of the Adriatic, a part of the Roman
province of Illyricum. ... See further under the word ILLYRICUM. Marcus N. Tod. ...
/d/dalmatia.htm - 8k

Illyr'icum (1 Occurrence)
Illyr'icum. Illyricum, Illyr'icum. I'm . Multi-Version Concordance Illyr'icum
(1 Occurrence). ... Illyricum, Illyr'icum. I'm . Reference Bible.
/i/illyr'icum.htm - 6k

Outlying (4 Occurrences)
... to speak simply of my own labours--beginning in Jerusalem and the outlying districts,
I have proclaimed without reserve, even as far as Illyricum, the Good ...
/o/outlying.htm - 7k

Labours (19 Occurrences)
... to speak simply of my own labours--beginning in Jerusalem and the outlying districts,
I have proclaimed without reserve, even as far as Illyricum, the Good ...
/l/labours.htm - 12k

Wonders (111 Occurrences)
... Romans 15:19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God's Spirit; so
that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached ...
/w/wonders.htm - 35k

Ill-will (2 Occurrences)
Ill-will. Illustrious, Ill-will. Illyricum . Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.)
See under Ill. ... (WEY). Illustrious, Ill-will. Illyricum . Reference Bible.
/i/ill-will.htm - 7k

Reserve (15 Occurrences)
... to speak simply of my own labours--beginning in Jerusalem and the outlying districts,
I have proclaimed without reserve, even as far as Illyricum, the Good ...
/r/reserve.htm - 11k

Dodanim (2 Occurrences)
... Leaders, a race descended from Javan (Genesis 10:4). They are known in profane
history as the Dardani, originally inhabiting Illyricum. ...
/d/dodanim.htm - 8k

Districts (22 Occurrences)
... to speak simply of my own labours--beginning in Jerusalem and the outlying districts,
I have proclaimed without reserve, even as far as Illyricum, the Good ...
/d/districts.htm - 13k

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