Grabus

Who is Grabus?

Grabus was an Illyrian king of the Taulantii State. Grabus took an important part in the civil war of Durrës in 437 BC which sparked off the Pelopponesian War. He became an ally of Athens at the time against Corinth. The existing conflict between the democrats and the aristocrats who were aided by Grabus, was immediately projected onto the wider screen of the contradictions in the Greek world, but in a manner that reflected economic interests more than political principles. Grabus was the son of Grabos which clashed with Philip II in 356 BC.

The Taulantii State under Grabus was centered in the Myzeqe plain in present central Albania which bordered the Greek colony of Durrës. Durrës was governed by a tight oligarchy or aristocrats that appointed a ruling magistrate; tradesmen and craftsmen were excluded from power, until internal strife produced a more democratic government. In 437 BC, the aristocrats were banished by the democrats and sheltered in the state of Grabus, looking for his help. From the fear of the Taulantii State, Durrës firstly appealed to Corcyra which refused and then enlisted the help of Corinth which accepted. The banished aristocrats and Grabus found support in democratic Corcyra and Grabus became an ally of Athens during that time when she was active in the area., pg. 47 In 435 BC, the Corinthian fleet set out for Corcyra and Durrës, but in 433 BC it was destroyed by the Corcyrian fleet at Actium of Anactorium in the Battle of Sybota. Meanwhile, the other part of the Corcyrian fleet broke the siege of Durrës, which Grabus had attacked and returned the aristocrats to the city. The surrender of the democrats enabled Grabus to have powerful economic control of the city.