I am quite interested in this thread. One thing that should be noted is what is the relationship of the pre Greek inhabitants of Greece and the Illyrians and then as well with the cultures of Pala, Hatti, Minoa, Kaska, Troy, etc... This could have a relationship to the linguistic and ethnic situations in Albania.
From what I've and researched and read, the Ancient Greeks established their colonies and cities in the coastline, while the Illyrians tended to be in the interior mountains and rural areas.
Therefore, I think there was very much a lot of trade in the 400-158 BC period. Illyrian tribes could have been trading partners with the Greek colonies.
But the thing I have with this map is the idea that the far south of Albania was with Greek tribes. Could this be true? I mean, my origins are linked to the region called ''Chaonia'' in the map, and the only Greek populations I've noticed in Albania hug the southern coastline around Himara (Kemara), they never lived in the interior mountains. Himara itself is bilingual, with a large Greek community. Something that I assume is that something about Albania during the migration period, since pressure exerted by Slavic and Germanic invaders could've pushed these Illyrian tribes south Epirus or towards the coastal cities, which would explain the Cham Albanian people in the far south in Epirus.
[/QUOTE]Do it really matter, it's clear that Albanians have lived in the region since for ever, but they could just as well descendent from some other unknown Indo-European group in the region. But it seems clear that the proto-Albanians likely arrived with the first Indo-European settlers in the region.[/QUOTE]
The issue isn't whether they are Indo-European or if they are descendants of Indo-Europeans, the issue is that records of Albania from around from the Roman conquest to the Principality of Arabanon are NONEXISTANCT. Seriously, almost nothing exists about it, we can only assume what happened during that period.