We all know that there is not any
'Ancient Albania', there is only ancient north Greek Epiros and according to
Stravon(ancient Greek geographer & historian) the ancient Greek Epiros was reaching Dyrachion/Durazzo/Durres(central modern Albania), till early Middle Ages. In recent & modern times its population Albanized.
Ancient Greek settlements in Albania. Classical Epirus shown in
grey. Borders of ancient Epirus (blue), Macedonia (green).
Blue dotted line: borders of the Greek world c. 6th AD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Epirus#Geography
The region of Epirus, stretching across Greece and Albania.
grey: Approximate extent of Epirus in antiquity
orange: Greek region of Epirus
green: Approximate extent of largest concentration of Greeks in
"Northern Epirus", early 20th century[1]
red dotted line: Territory of Northern Epirus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Epirus
Tribes of Epirus in antiquity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epirus#...assical_period
The Roman provinces of Epirus vetus and Epirus nova in relation
to modern borders.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epirus#...Byzantine_rule
Albanisation
"Minority status was limited to those who lived in 99 villages in the southern border areas, thereby excluding important concentrations of Greek settlement in Vlora (perhaps 8,000 people in 1994) and in adjoining areas along the coast, ancestral Greek towns such as Himara, and ethnic Greeks living elsewhere throughout the country. Mixed villages outside this designated zone, even those with a clear majority of ethnic Greeks, were not considered minority areas and therefore were denied any Greek language cultural or educational provisions. In addition, many Greeks were forcibly removed from the minority zones to other parts of the country as a product of communist population policy, an important and constant element of which was to preempt ethnic sources of political dissent. Greek place-names were changed to Albanian names, while use of the Greek language, prohibited everywhere outside the minority zones, was prohibited for many official purposes within them as well."[9]
During the rule of King Zogu and the communist regime, the government encouraged Albanisation of the Greeks of Southern Albania (the territory was also called "Northern Epirus", especially among the Greeks).[9]
9.^ a b c G97 T.J. Winnifrith (2003), Badlands-Borderland: A History of Southern Albania/Northern Epirus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanisation
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