The Illyrian King Pinneus, son of King Agron and Agron's first wife Queen Triteuta, reigned from 230 to 217 BC.

Pinneus was only a young boy when his father died and his stepmother Teuta assumed de facto control. Local chiefs demanded greater power and autonomy for their regions and Teuta, who feared of losing her status, appeased the aggresors. This act was seen as a sign of weakness and no ship in the Adriatic and Ionian sea was safe from Illyrian pirates who raided regardless of a ship's country or the damage it would due to Illyria's foreign relations.

Greece was the most affected by this new danger as their economy depended on the seas. Rome, symphathetic to Greece, sent delagates to mediate the situation, but this act was in vain due to Teuta's policy of isolationism. She ordered the assassinations of the delegates and sparked the first Roman-Illyrian War in 229 BC. Teuta once again gave in, this time to Rome's peace terms which included her abdication and the reinstatement of Pinneus.

Unfortunately, Pinneus once again lost his throne when the Greek, Demetrius of Pharos (Pharos is today the island of Hvar) married Triteuta and declared himself king. Demetrius ignored the treaty with Rome and allied Illyria with Rome's long term enemy Macedon. The Second Roman-Illyrian War began in 219 BC when a Roman army was sent to Illyria. Demetrius fled to Macedon and Pinneus finally became king, though his sudden death in 217 BC at the age of 15 was ironic since he never actually ruled.