Thunatae

The Thunatae (Ancient Greek: Θουνᾶται) were a Dardanian tribe, along with the Galabri, mentioned by Strabo. The Thunatae are mentioned as neighbors of the Maedi, a Thracian tribe.^[1]

Name

The tribe is mentioned by Ancient Greek author Strabo in his Geographica as Θουνᾶται Thunatai. The tribal name Thunatae/Thunatai has been connected to the Messapic name Daunioi/Daunii in Apulia (south-eastern Italy).^[2]

Geography

According to Strabo the Thunatae were a Dardanian tribe who bordered with the Thracian Maedi in the east.^[3]^[2]

Some scholars have suggested that the Thunatae may have been a Thracian people or probably strongly influenced by the neighbouring Thracians.^[2]^[4] However Strabo explicitly considers the Thunatae as a Dardanian people, also separating them from the Thracian tribe Maedi, hence from the Thracians.^[3] Strabo's account provides evidence that in their eastern territory the Dardanians bordered the Thracians.^[3]

References

^ Shukriu 1996, p. 41; Šašel Kos 2010, p. 625.
^ ^a ^b ^c Šašel Kos 2010, p. 625.
^ ^a ^b ^c Shukriu 1996, p. 41.
^ Shukriu 1996, p. 20.

Bibliography

Šašel Kos, Marjeta (2010). "Peoples on the northern fringes of the Greek world: Illyria as seen by Strabo". In Jean-Luc Lamboley, Maria Paola Castiglioni (ed.). L'Illyrie méridionale et l'Épire dans l'Antiquité V: Actes du Ve colloque international de Grenoble (8–11 octobre 2008). L'Illyrie méridionale et l'Épire dans l'Antiquité (V). Vol. 2. De Boccard Editions. pp. 617–629. ISBN 9782951943339.
Shukriu, Edi (1996). Dardania paraurbane: studime arkeologjike të Kosovës [Pre-urban Dardania: Archaeological Studies of Kosova]. Biblioteka "Fryma" (in Albanian). Vol. 13. Pejë: Dukagjini.