| Neolithic times, Bosnia has been inhabited by different | | | | There is limited information about the west Balkans |
| tribes. During the Bronze Age, Bosnia’s Neolithic | | | | from these times. Upon the arrival of the Slavs, they |
| population was dominated by more warlike | | | | brought with them a tribal social structure which |
| Indo-European tribes known as the Illyres or Illyrians. In | | | | collapsed and gave way to feudalism with Frankish |
| the 4th and 3rd century BCE, many Illyrian natives | | | | dissemination into the region in the late 9th century. |
| were displaced from their former domain by Celtic | | | | Bosnia perhaps originated as a pre-feudal Slavic entity. |
| exodus. Both Celtic and Illyrian tribes then blended with | | | | It was during this time that the South Slavs were |
| each other. | | | | converted to Christianity. Bosnia, due to its topographic |
| Definite historical facts were very limited but it proved | | | | location and terrain, was probably one of the last |
| that the locality was inhabited by diverse people with | | | | regions to undergo the process of Christianity which |
| different speaking languages. Disputes between Illyrians | | | | apparently originated from the urban centers along the |
| and Romans happened in 229 BC. Rome was then | | | | Dalmatian coast. Jurisdiction over Bosnia was |
| not able to take control of the region for over two | | | | contested between the Hungarian Kingdom and the |
| centuries. During the Roman period, Latin-speaking | | | | Byzantine Empire, with Byzantine originally claiming it. |
| colonizers from all over the Roman Empire dwelled | | | | Kulin a local ruler, was in charge for around three |
| among the Illyrians. Roman soldiers were persuaded to | | | | decades of peace and solidity during which he |
| retire in the area. | | | | bolstered the country’s economy through |
| Many artifacts and relics dated back from the last part | | | | treaties with Dubrovnik and Venice. His reign marked a |
| of the 1st century showed evidence that Christianity | | | | controversy with the Bosnia Church. The Bosnia |
| arrived in the region. Dalmatia and Pannnia were | | | | Church was an indigenous Christian sect considered |
| integrated in the Western Roman Empire after the | | | | unorthodox by both Rome and the Eastern Orthodox |
| empire come apart between the years 337 and 395. | | | | churches. Kulin convened a council of local church |
| The Ostrogoths conquered the region in 455 and | | | | leaders to reject the sacrilege in 1203. This was in |
| further swapped between the Alans and Huns in the | | | | response to Hungarian efforts to use church politics |
| years that followed. In the 6th century, the area was | | | | regarding the issue as a mean to reclaim sovereignty |
| conquered by Emperor Justinian for the Byzantine | | | | over Bosnia. |
| Empire. | | | | Bosnian history was marked by power struggles |
| The Slavs, a nomadic people from northeastern | | | | between the 12th to the early 14th century, and then |
| Europe, were ruled by the Eurasian Avars in 6th | | | | later Bosnia fell into a prolonged period of decline. The |
| century. They formed into an alliance and invaded in | | | | invasion of Europe from the South posed a major |
| the Eastern Roman Empire in the 6th and 7th | | | | question to the Balkans throughout the first half of the |
| centuries. They settled in their conquered land which is | | | | 15th century and caused remarkable changes in the |
| now called Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally South | | | | political and cultural environment of the region. The |
| Slavs, came in the second wave and based on some | | | | kingdom of Bosnia was allowed to preserve its identity |
| scholars, they were called by Emperor Heraclius to | | | | with its historical name and territorial integrity. |
| drive the Avars from Dalmatia. | | | | |