PLUTARCH - EPIRUS - BARBARISM

The question of whether the ancient Epirotes were barbarians, meaning non-Greek in origin, is addressed clearly and concisely by Plutarch in the introduction to his "Life of Pyrrhus." The author, recounting the history of Epirus, initially provides a significant linguistic detail, specifically a word from the native language of the Epirotes: the word "Aspetos," which translates to "unspeakably great" and has a clear Greek etymology [1]. This indicates that the native language of the Epirotes was Greek.

Furthermore, Plutarch addresses the question of why ancient writers such as Thucydides and Strabo referred to the Epirotes as barbarians. He explains that Epirus became "barbarized" at a certain point, which implies that Epirus was originally non-barbarian, i.e. Greek (after all, Plutarch had already implied thr Greekness of the Epirotes' speech). Epirus underwent cultural re-Hellenization after King Tharrhypas reorganized the region both culturally and politically.

This explanation by Plutarch provides a nuanced understanding of the cultural and linguistic identity of the Epirotes, showing that despite periods of cultural transformation, their roots and language were fundamentally Greek. Modern experts confirm that there is not any evidence clearly doubting Epirotes' Hellenic ethnological profile [2].

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References:

[1] The word occurs in Iliad 8.558, Iliad 18.403, Odyssey 4.75, see:A Greek-English lexicon

by Liddell, Henry George, 1811-1898; Scott, Robert, 1811-1887, p.233

[2] J. Engels in: A companion to Ancient Macedonia p.83-84; Sasel Kos, Portolano Andriatico, p.14