The History of Dalmatia concerns the history of the area that covers eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea and its inland regions, from the 2nd century BC up to the present day. The region was populated by Illyrian tribes around 1,000 B.C, including the Delmatae, who formed a kingdom and for whom the province is named. Later it was conquered by Rome, thus becoming the province of Dalmatia, part of the Roman Empire. Dalmatia was ravaged by barbaric tribes in the beginning of the 4th century.
Name Dalmatia on ancient panel
Independent Dalmatia - Extent of Marcellinus' Control (454–468) and Julius Nepos' Control (468–480).
Oton Iveković, The Croats' arrival at the Adriatic Sea
The Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy from 1806 to 1810 included the Dalmatia that had belonged to Venice until 1797.
The Province of Zara was a province of the Kingdom of Italy, officially from 1918 to 1947. In 1941 it was enlarged and made part of the Italian Governorate of Dalmatia, during World War II, until 1943.
The province of Zara in 1936
An Italian postage stamp overprinted by the German occupation forces for Zara, 1943