Thrace

Thrace is a region in the southeastern tip of the Balkans, surrounded by the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean Sea, the region of Macedonia, and the Balkan Mountains.

Related with the Dacians of what is now Romania, the ancient inhabitants of the region were called the Thracians, a collection of warlike tribes who never formed a central state authority. After resisting the Greek colonisation in their land for a while, they subsequently gave in and eventually assimilated into the Greek culture. Many traces of their culture, including artworks, burial mounds, and some place names remain throughout the region.

Modern Thrace spans three countries:

• Northern Thrace (Upper Thracian Plain), Bulgaria
• Western Thrace, Greece comprises three prefectures: Evros, Rhodope, Xanthi
  • Samothrace is a nearby island with an associated name in the Aegean Sea
• Eastern Thrace (European Turkey or Rumeli), Turkey

In all three countries, "Thracian" is a strong regional identity.