Today's Passage
This passage describes Sitalces, king of the Odrysian Thracians, mobilizing his vast coalition of forces in 429 BCE for a campaign against Perdiccas II of Macedon and the Chalcidians.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Beginning with the Odrysians, he first called out the Thracian tribes subject to him between Mounts Haemus and Rhodope and the Euxine and Hellespont; next the Getae beyond Haemus, and the other hordes settled south of the Danube in the neighbourhood of the Euxine, who, like the Getae, border on the Scythians and are armed in the same manner, being all mounted archers. Besides these he summoned many of the hill Thracian independent swordsmen, called Dii and mostly inhabiting Mount Rhodope, some of whom came as mercenaries, others as volunteers; also the Agrianes and Laeaeans, and the rest of the Paeonian tribes in his empire, at the confines of which these lay, extending up to the Laeaean Paeonians and the river Strymon, which flows from Mount Scombrus through the country of the Agrianes and Laeaeans; there the empire of Sitalces ends and the territory of the independent Paeonians begins. Bordering on the Triballi, also independent, were the Treres and Tilataeans, who dwell to the north of Mount Scombrus and extend towards the setting sun as far as the river Oskius. This river rises in the same mountains as the Nestus and Hebrus, a wild and extensive range connected with Rhodope.
Modern Translation
Starting with the Odrysians, he summoned the Thracian tribes under his rule between the Haemus and Rhodope mountains and the Black Sea and Hellespont. Next came the Getae living beyond Haemus, along with other peoples settled south of the Danube near the Black Sea who, like the Getae, bordered the Scythians and shared their military style as mounted archers. He also called upon numerous independent highland Thracian swordsmen known as the Dii, who primarily inhabited Mount Rhodope—some hired as mercenaries, others volunteering. Additionally, he summoned the Agrianes, Laeaeans, and other Paeonian tribes within his domain, which extended to the borders of the Laeaean Paeonians and the Strymon River. This river flows from Mount Scombrus through Agrianian and Laeaean territory, marking where Sitalces' empire ended and independent Paeonian lands began. The Treres and Tilataeans, who lived north of Mount Scombrus and stretched westward to the Oskius River, bordered the independent Triballi. The Oskius originates in the same mountain range as the Nestus and Hebrus rivers—a vast, rugged wilderness connected to Rhodope.
Historical Context
This passage describes Sitalces, king of the Odrysian Thracians, mobilizing his vast coalition of forces in 429 BCE for a campaign against Perdiccas II of Macedon and the Chalcidians. Thucydides meticulously catalogs the diverse tribal groups responding to Sitalces' call, mapping the geographical extent of his influence across Thrace. The description reveals the complex ethnic and political landscape of ancient Thrace, with its mixture of subject peoples, independent tribes, and mercenary forces. This mobilization represents one of the largest barbarian armies assembled during the Peloponnesian War period, demonstrating how the conflict drew in powers far beyond the Greek city-states. The geographical detail serves both to impress readers with the scope of Sitalces' power and to provide a rare ethnographic survey of the Thracian peoples.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Thracian Military Organization
The passage reveals diverse military traditions among Thracian peoples: mounted archers influenced by Scythian practices among the Getae, and independent swordsmen (Dii) from the highlands. This military diversity reflects both geographical adaptation and cultural exchange across the ancient Balkans.
Learn more →Odrysian Kingdom
The Odrysian kingdom was the most powerful Thracian state, reaching its zenith under Sitalces (431-424 BCE). This passage demonstrates its extensive territorial control and ability to mobilize diverse tribal coalitions, making it a significant regional power during the Peloponnesian War.
Learn more →Ancient Balkan Geography
Thucydides provides valuable geographical data about ancient Thrace, mentioning key mountains (Haemus, Rhodope, Scombrus) and rivers (Strymon, Oskius, Nestus, Hebrus) that defined tribal territories and political boundaries in the pre-Roman Balkans.
Learn more →Barbarian Allies in Greek Warfare
The involvement of Thracian forces illustrates how the Peloponnesian War extended beyond Greek poleis, drawing in 'barbarian' powers as allies and mercenaries. This reflects the interconnected nature of ancient Mediterranean politics and warfare.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Herodotus: Histories (Book 4.93-96)
Herodotus describes the Getae and their customs during Darius' Scythian campaign, providing ethnographic background for the peoples Thucydides mentions as Sitalces' allies.
Read passage →Xenophon: Anabasis (Book 7.2-5)
Xenophon's account of Thracian king Seuthes II provides insights into Thracian military organization and the relationship between Thracian rulers and Greek mercenaries, similar to Sitalces' recruitment methods.
Read passage →Strabo: Geography (Book 7.3.2-13)
Strabo's geographical description of Thrace complements Thucydides' account, providing additional detail about the tribal distributions and territorial boundaries mentioned in this passage.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Thucydides' detailed geographical catalog serve his historical method and what does it reveal about Greek knowledge of non-Greek peoples?
- What does this passage suggest about the nature of political authority in ancient Thrace, particularly the relationship between Sitalces and the various tribal groups?
- How might the diversity of military traditions (mounted archers, swordsmen, mercenaries) have affected the cohesion and effectiveness of Sitalces' army?
- What does the involvement of Thracian powers tell us about the broader geopolitical impact of the Peloponnesian War beyond the Greek world?