The Romans had established their colony in Aquileia in 181 BCE and taken control of all Venetia in the north, thus expanding towards the Illyrian area from the northwest.
They had conquered Istria in the north of the eastern Adriatic coast, settled by tribe of Histri, in 177 BCE, while the Iapydes, the northern Liburnian neighbors, attacked Aquileia in 171 BCE, but these accidents have not involved the Liburnian territory.
The Liburnians probably keep away from direct conflicts with the Romans to safeguard their remaining naval activities.
