Queen Teuta: Power-Hungry Villain Who Underestimated The Romans

A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com - Much of what we know about Queen Teuta comes from ancient Roman sources.

Teuta is a historical figure sometimes described as an "ancient pirate queen," comparable to the Greek Queen Artemisia I of Caria, who was known to be loyal to no one but herself. However, Teuta was not a pirate herself.

Statue of Queen Teuta and her stepson Pinnes in Tirana, Albania. Credit: Bardhyl222, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Roman authors portrayed her as the troublemaker and initiator of war. One of them was Polybius (208 - c.125 BC), a Greek historian of the Hellenistic period who wrote "The Histories." His work is the primary source recounting Queen Teuta's life and deeds. He was among those who did not have a positive attitude towards women ascending the throne.

Certainly, Teuta was not Polybius' favorite.

This is a preview of our premium article available only to members of Ancient Pages.

Become a member to read more -  Click here

If you are already a member and have logged in to your account, you can access the article here

See also: 

Artemisia I Of Caria – Pirate Queen And Ally Of Xerxes I Was Loyal To No-One Except Herself

Bouboulina: Heroine, Wealthy Widow And Shipowner Who Commanded A Greek Fleet Against The Ottoman Empire

Queen Mavia And The Tanukhids Launched A Massive Revolt Against Romans – But Why?

More Premium Articles