What is Thrace?
[[File:Thrace and present-day state borderlines.png|thumb|right|220px|The modern boundaries of Thrace in [[Bulgaria]], [[Greece]] and [[Turkey]].]] [[File:Rhodopen Balkan topo de.jpg|thumb|right|220px|The physical-geographical boundaries of Thrace: the Balkan Mountains, the Rhodope Mountains and the Bosphorus. The Rhodope mountain range is highlighted.]] [[File:Roman_provinces_of_Illyricum,_Macedonia,_Dacia,_Moesia,_Pannonia_and_Thracia.jpg|thumb|right|220px|The Roman province of Thrace]] '''Thrace''' <ref>{{lang-el|Θράκη, Thráki}}; {{lang-tr|Trakya}}</ref> ({{lang-grc|Θρᾴκη}}: ''Thráke''; {{lang-bg|Тракия}}; ''Trakiya'', {{lang-tr|Trakya}}) is a historical and geographic area in Southeastern [[Europe]]. It was bounded by the [[Balkan Mountains]] on the north, the Rhodope Mountains and the [[Aegean Sea]] on the south, and by the [[Black Sea]] and the [[Sea of Marmara]] on the east. Thrace included areas that are now southeastern [[Bulgaria]], northeastern [[Greece]], and the European part of [[Turkey]]. The [[Thracians]] were an ancient [[Indo-European]] people. They lived in [[Central Europe|Central]], [[Eastern Europe|Western]], and [[Southeastern Europe]]. == Ancient history == The [[indigenous]] population of Thrace was a people called the [[Thracians]]. They were divided into many tribal groups. Thracian troops were known to be used in the Persian army. Many of them went with neighbouring ruler [[Alexander the Great]] when he crossed the [[Hellespont]] (which is next to Thrace) during his invasion of the [[Persian Empire]]. The Thracians were divided into separate tribes. They did not form a lasting political organization until the [[Odrysian|Odrysian state]] was founded in the 4th century BC. Like [[Illyria]]ns, Thracian tribes of the mountainous regions had a warrior tradition. The tribes based in the plains were more peaceable. Recent funeral mounds in Bulgaria suggest that Thracian kings did rule regions of Thrace with distinct Thracian national identity. Thrace was conquered by Alexander. It later r