The "Second Sun of the Illyrian Land

 (Decoding the Inscription of Leontius in Gortyn, Crete)

A unique epigraphic discovery from the ancient city of Gortyn on the island of Crete provides an interesting look into the history of Illyricum. Designated by epigraphists as IC IV 325, this well-preserved inscription honors a high-ranking imperial administrator named Leontius.

The text has sparked significant interest, particularly within Albanian historical and cultural circles online, due to its explicit poetic reference to the "Illyrian land" (γέης Ἰλλυρίδος) and its potential implications for regional history and alternative historical interpretations.

The Inscription: Text and Translation

The monument consists of a rectangular marble statue base dating roughly between 412 and 441 AD. It originally supported a statue of Leontius, erected by a local official named Callinicus on behalf of the provincial council of Crete.

Original Greek(the language of the Romans)Text

Εἰκόνα τήνδ’ ἐσάθρει με Λεοντίου ἅγνου ὑπάχου

ὃς Κρήτην πολιὴν μοῦνος ἔθηκα νέην.

Ἀγχίθυρος δ’ἔστηκα Δίκης· κριντῆρσι γάρ εἰμι

ἤπιος εἰθυδίκοις, τοῖ(ς) δ’ ἀδίκουσι δέος.

Στῆσε δὲ Καλλεινικος ἐνηεῖ δόγματι νήσσου,

γέης Ἰλλυρίδος δεύτερον ἠέλιον.

Standard English (Academic Translation)

"Consider me, statue of the worthy prefect Leontius, who alone made the Cretan city young again. I was set up by the portals of Dike [Justice]; for I am mild to just judges, but terrible to the unjust. Callinicus set me up, on the benevolent behest of the island, me, the second sun of Illyricum."

Literal English Translation

Look upon me, this image of the pure prefect Leontius,who alone made ancient Crete young again.I stand right at the doorway of Justice; for I am gentle to upright judges, but a terror to those who do wrong.Callinicus set me up, by the benevolent decree of the island, [me,] the second sun of the Illyrian land.

Understanding the Context: Administrative and Judicial Reform

The inscription describes a period of municipal and institutional rejuvenation in Gortyn, which served as the capital of the Roman province of Creta et Cyrenaica (and later the separate province of Crete).

Leontius served as the prefect (ὑπάχου) or governor. According to the verse, he single-handedly revitalized a "graying" or decaying Crete (Κρήτην πολιὴν... νέην), restoring its institutions. The text emphasizes his judicial reforms—he claims to stand right at the doors of Dike (the goddess of Justice), acting as a protector to honest judges but a source of terror to corrupt ones.

The Linguistic Debate: "Illyricum" vs. "Illyrian Land"

The most compelling part of the inscription lies in its final line, where Leontius is given a striking title: γέης Ἰλλυρίδος δεύτερον ἠέλιον.

A point of critique raised by regional commentators is the standard English translation of γέης Ἰλλυρίδος as simply "Illyricum" (referring to the Roman administrative Praetorian prefecture).

A more literal, precise translation of the ancient Greek is "of the Illyrian land" (γῆ meaning earth/land, and Ἰλλυρίς being the adjective for Illyrian). Therefore, the phrase translates exactly to:

"The second sun of the Illyrian land."

The title "second sun" (δεύτερον ἠέλιον) was a comparison used to honor the great deeds of the Prefect Leontius,  whose brilliance, benevolence, or governing power brought a metaphorical rebirth to a region.

Historical Interpretation and Alternative Perspectives

The assertion that Leontius calls himself the "sun of the Illyrian land" while governing Crete has led to two distinct historical viewpoints:

1. The Alternative/Cultural Viewpoint

From an alternative historical perspective, this testament challenges mainstream paradigms. Proponents argue that by explicitly tying the identity of Crete's restorer to the "Illyrian land," the inscription implies a deep, underlying ethno-cultural or demographic connection between the ancient inhabitants of Crete and the Illyrians. Under this interpretation, the monument serves as historical evidence that contradicts conventional geographical and linguistic boundaries—such as the Jireček Line (a conceptual boundary dividing Latin and Greek linguistic influences in the ancient Balkans)—by suggesting a much wider Illyrian footprint that reached into the Aegean islands.

2. The Mainstream Academic Viewpoint

Mainstream historians and epigraphists interpret the phrase through the lens of Roman provincial administration. During the 5th century AD, Crete was administratively subordinate to the Praetorian Prefecture of Illyricum, which was one of the major administrative divisions of the Late Roman (Byzantine) Empire.

In this context, Leontius was likely an elite administrator originally native to the region of Illyria, or someone who had achieved great acclaim ruling within the Prefecture of Illyricum before being deployed to revitalize Crete. Calling him the "second sun of the Illyrian land" was a poetic way for the Cretan council to honor his homeland and administrative pedigree, celebrating him as Illyria’s greatest gift to their island.

Conclusion

The mainstream viewpoint, is a far fetched one, it first adapts the translation from “Illyrian land” to Illyricum, and then assumes Leontius was from Illyria, ignoring the fact that the inscription calls Crete: “Illyrian land” , not Leontius himself.

Thë inscription itself, gives a great clue why the Romans called the entire Balkans and Crete as the Praefectura Illyricum meaning this territory is the land inhabited from the Illyrian nation, although we can certainly exclude, the name Illyrians to denote an ethnic entity, similar to the modern nations today.