Thrace facts for kids
Thrace is a historical area in Southeast Europe. Imagine a place where three countries meet today: southeastern Bulgaria, northeastern Greece, and the European part of Turkey. That's roughly where Thrace was! It was surrounded by mountains like the Balkan Mountains to the north and the Rhodope Mountains to the south. The Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara were to its east. The people who lived here long ago were called the Thracians. They were an ancient group of people from Europe.
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Ancient Thrace: A Land of Tribes
Who Were the Thracians?
The first people to live in Thrace were the Thracians. They were divided into many different tribes. These tribes didn't always work together. Thracian soldiers were known for being strong fighters. They even served in the Persian army! Many Thracian fighters also joined Alexander the Great when he crossed the Hellespont (a narrow sea passage) to invade the Persian Empire.
The Thracian tribes did not form one big country for a long time. They finally created a lasting kingdom called the Odrysian state in the 4th century BC. Some Thracian tribes lived in the mountains and were known as fierce warriors. Other tribes lived in the plains and preferred a more peaceful life. Old burial mounds found in Bulgaria suggest that Thracian kings ruled parts of Thrace and helped create a unique Thracian identity.
Thrace Under Other Empires
Thrace was conquered by Alexander the Great. After he died, it became free again for a while. But then, the powerful Roman Empire tried to conquer it many times. Finally, in 46 AD, during the rule of Emperor Claudius, the Romans succeeded. Thrace became a Roman province (a region ruled by Rome). Over time, it was divided into four Roman provinces.
As the Roman Empire slowly fell apart, Thrace faced many conflicts and was conquered by stronger forces again and again. It never became an independent country after that. Interestingly, the Thracians didn't call themselves "Thracians." That name, along with "Thrace," was given to them by the ancient Greeks.
Images for kids
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Map of Ancient Thrace made by Abraham Ortelius in 1585.
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Thrace in the Odrysian Kingdom showing several Thracian tribes.
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A Thracian soldier from the Achaemenid army, around 480 BCE. This image is from the tomb relief of Xerxes I.
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A proposal to give East Thrace to Greece during World War I.
See also
In Spanish: Tracia para niños
