Ancient Thrace and the Classical World: Treasures from Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece

Edited by Jeffrey Spier, Timothy Potts, Sara E. Cole, and Margarit Damyanov A captivating examination of the profound impact Thracian art and culture had on the Greeks and the entire northern Aegean region.  The Thracians—a collection of tribal peoples who inhabited territories north of ancient Greece, an area that comprises present-day Bulgaria, much of Romania, and parts of Greece and Turkey—were renowned for their skill as warriors and horsemen, as well as for their wealth in precious metals. Thracians left few written records, and knowledge of their history and customs has long been dependent on brief accounts from ancient Greek authors. They appeared in Greek myth as formidable adversaries in the Trojan War, cruel kings, and followers of the ecstatic god Dionysos. Spectacular archaeological discoveries made in Thracian lands during modern times, however, have provided firsthand evidence of this remarkable culture, illuminating Thrace’s interactions with Greece, Persia, and Rome. A