thrace (: "thráke"; ; "trakiya", ) is a historical and geographic area in southeast europe. it was bounded by the balkan mountains on the north, 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 which are now southeastern bulgaria, northeastern greece, and the european part of turkey. the thracians were an ancient indo-european people. they lived in central, eastern and southeastern europe.