reveal a very early Iron Age. Bosnia was one of
Europe's earliest "Sheffields." Iron tools and bronze ornaments show
that their makers were skilled workmen. The ornaments are of
particular interest, as many are very similar in design to those
still worn by Balkan peasantry, and as the bulk of Balkan
silversmiths are Albanians or Vlachs both craft and design would
appear to have been handed down from very ancient days.

The Illyrians were great warriors. "The difficulty," says J. B.
Bury, the eminent historian of the later Roman Empire, "experienced
by the Romans in subduing and incorporating the brave tribes is well
known." Briefly, Rome's first punitive expedition to Illyria was in
230 B.C., but the land was not finally annexed till 169 A.D.

The Romans colonized Illyria. Christianity reached the coast early
and slowly penetrated inland. Illyria formed part of the
Patriarchate of Rome, and Latin became the official language
throughout the Peninsula, save in the extreme south and south-east
coast-line. Up-country and in the mountains the people evidently
retained their own speech, that from which modern Albanian derives.
The people in the plains, in direct contact with the Roman settlers,
developed a sort of bastard Latin speech and doubtless intermarried
largely with the Romans. They and their language exist to-day. They
are known as the Kutzovlachs, and are thickly settled on the old
Roman routes and the hill-tops. As frequently happens in history,
but is invariably forgotten by those who go out to conquer, the
marked individuality of the vanquished speedily re-asserted itself
and gradually absorbed the victor. The Roman Empire shortly split in
twain, and the East was largely ruled by Emperors of native Balkan
blood, Diocletian, Constantine the Great, and many of lesser note.
Greatest of all was Justinian (527-565), who was of Illyrian birth
and succeeded his uncle Justin, a common soldier risen to the
purple.

"In four departments," says Bury, "Justinian has won immortal fame.
In warfare, in architecture, in law and in Church history." To him
the world owes St. Sofia. He and his uncle Justin both strove
against the schism between the Roman and Byzantine Churches, and he
was powerful enough to carry a measure which tended to unity by
modifying, the Synod of Chalcedon without breaking with Rome. And he
prided himself upon speaking Latin. Yet there are those to-day who
would hand over his Church of the Holy Wisdom t