After studying the theory of contemporary epic poetry, a total of 94 epic and epic – lyric poetry works in Italian language from the 19th century Dalmatia and Italy are analysed. These works were written by authors related to Dalmatia by birth, origin as well as their literary and cultural activity. The analysis of the established corpus follows the contemporary theory of epic poetry, especially the theory of Niccolò Tommaseo in his works Della mitologia and Dell’Epopea. The research has shown that the epic and epic – lyric works written in Italian language in Dalmatia in the 19th century are very diverse in their structural, stylistic and thematic characteristics. Most of them significantly deviate from the traditional epic model and follow the literary tendencies of the time, especially those already mentioned by Niccolò Tommaseo. The most common intertextual reference is Divina Commedia written by Dante Alighieri. The works are primarily focused on the affirmation of Dalmatia from various aspects: ethnological, cultural, geographical, economic and political. They reflect the cultural and historical conditions of the region. Due to their topics, and often the addressees to whom they are dedicated, they become participants in trying to improve social and economic conditions in the region and in solving the political situation, especially the issues of territorial unification with the northern Croatia. Their role in getting other cultures acquainted with the culture, people, customs, tradition and history of Dalmatia is of paramount importance.