Ballaios was not mentioned by any ancient writers, of his time or those of later eras. Ballaois was a king attested on coins found on both coasts of the Adriatic. Hence had he been documented by Polybius or Livy, he would have no doubt been called an 'Illyrian king'. He is currently interpreted as an Illyrian ruler documented solely on his coins. Whilst the abundance of his coinage in the region would suggest that he was a very influential figure there is no literary or historical evidence of his existence. The coins of the well-known Illyrian king Gentius are scarce in comparison to the coins of Ballaios. Ballaios appears to have ruled at Queen Teuta's old stronghold, Rhizon (now Risan). At the time the region was part of the Roman republic and the Ardiaean State had been dissolved since the time of Gentius.