Historical background to Dalmatia
The name Dalmatia or Delmatia, comes from the ancient Illyrian language meaning "land of shepherds" (delminium - pasture for sheep). The earliest mention of the name occurs at the time of the fall of the southern Illyric kingdom 167 B.C. after the Roman advanced into that region Their principal town was Delminium, and the tribes called themselves Delmati, or Dalmati. It was during this period of Romanization that the province took the name of Dalmatia.
In the seventh century, Dalmatia received the dominant element of its present population, the Croats. By the ninth century Croatian influence was at its height and the Croatian princes were recognized as Kings of Dalmatia. During the following millennium, the history of Dalmatia is closely connected with that of Croatia, it’s mother-country. Throughout this history however, a number of powers had extended their authority over Dalmatia including, Byzantium, Venice and Austria-Hungary.