The Polog Valley and the surrounding regions belonged to the Illyro-Dardanian cultural sphere of influence. Throughout antiquity, the Polog valley and its main settlements - Oaeneum and Draudacum - were ruled and inhabited by the Illyrian Penestae tribe as well as the Dardanians. The Polog region served as a border region between the Dardanians and the lands of the Paeonians. In the period of 800–550 BC, the Dardani broke into Pelagonia via Oaeneum (Tetova) and Draudacum (Gostivar) and pushed the Phrygian Bridges there into the northern hills.
