Often neglected by Classical scholars, the shining seas of coastal Dalmatia in southern Croatia were powerfully attractive to ancient Greeks and Romans, who first visited, colonized, and then conquered this region during the 1^st millennium BCE. Located on several trade routes from central Europe to the Mediterranean, Dalmatia was home to peoples commonly called the Illyrians or Liburnians, who possessed a complex and vibrant culture of their own. Centuries of interaction with Greeks and Romans profoundly impacted these ancient Dalmatians, resulting in changes that can be traced through the archaeological record. New evidence reveals a fascinating story of collaboration and conflict between these groups; a tale which includes the famous “Illyrian pirates.” Using finds from recent excavations, this lecture discusses the most transformative periods of Greco-Roman activity in the eastern Adriatic (6^th c. BCE to 2^nd c. CE) and offers fresh insights into ongoing debates about ancient Mediterranean trade, traders, and colonization.