Chaonians

The Chaonians were an ancient Greek-speaking people of Epirus in northwestern Greece. They occupied Chaonia, a western coastal region of Epirus named after them, along the Ionian Sea and extending inland toward the interior highlands. Their territory bordered the Molossians to the east, the Thesprotians to the south, and Illyrian groups to the north. In classical sources they are one of the three major Epirean groups, alongside the Molossians and Thesprotians.

Social and political organization among the Chaonians is described as a loose federation of city-states rather than a single centralized kingdom. Local rulers or aristocrats governed individual towns, with occasional intercity coordination for common interests. The principal urban center was Phoinike (Phoenice) on the Ambracian Gulf, which played a leading role in the region's political and economic life.

Culture and language: the Chaonians spoke a Northwest Greek dialect and shared in the religious and cultural practices of the Greek world. They engaged in trade and interaction with neighboring Epirote communities and with Greek city-states along the coast, contributing to the Hellenic cultural sphere of the area.

History: In antiquity, Chaonia functioned as a distinct regional bloc within Epirus. Over time, Epirus came under greater external influence, and Chaonian political autonomy diminished as the region integrated into broader Epirean and later Roman structures. The Chaonians, together with the Molossians and Thesprotians, are cited in ancient sources as foundational elements of Epirus’ early Greek-speaking populations.