Palaeste
Palaeste or Palaiste was a town in the Ceraunian Mountains on the southern Adriatic coast between Illyria and Epirus in classical antiquity. It was located near modern day Palasë in Albania. Etymology. The name "Palaiste" is considered to be Illyrian. It is linked to the root morpheme *pal- (shallow water) and the typical Illyrian suffix -este. The ethnic name "Palaistinoi" comes from "Palaiste", with the typical Illyrian suffix "-ino" often used to form tribal names. The root *pal is also found in the name of the Illyrian tribe of the Plaraioi/Palarioi. Pseudo-Plutarch reports that "Palaistinos" was another  name of the river Strymon. The name has been speculated to be related to the ethnonym "Philistines". History. Caesar's landing in 48 B.C. Ancient Roman writer Lucan reported that it was here that Julius Caesar landed from Brundusium across the Adriatic, in order to carry on the Civil War against Pompey in Illyricum and the oncoming Battle of Dyrrhachium on 10 July 48 BC. According to Ian Longhurst, an analysis of other ancient sources, based on geographical and military data, suggests a more likely location for Caesar's landing inside the Bay of Vlorë north of the Ceraunian Mountains . Neritan Ceka analysed the local places by a site survey on the Acroceraunia comparing their situation with the ancient sources, and accepted the historical account of Caesar's landing on Palaeste. Geography. In classical antiquity Palaeste was located in the Ceraunian Mountains on the southern Adriatic coast between Illyria and Epirus. It was located near modern day Palasë on the northernmost coastal part of the ancient Kemara region (modern Himara, Albania).