Today's Passage
This passage describes the Odrysian kingdom of Thrace and its military expedition against Macedonia in 429 BCE, led by King Sitalces.
Crawley Translation (1910)
The empire of the Odrysians extended along the seaboard from Abdera to the mouth of the Danube in the Euxine. The navigation of this coast by the shortest route takes a merchantman four days and four nights with a wind astern the whole way: by land an active man, travelling by the shortest road, can get from Abdera to the Danube in eleven days. Such was the length of its coast line. Inland from Byzantium to the Laeaeans and the Strymon, the farthest limit of its extension into the interior, it is a journey of thirteen days for an active man. The tribute from all the barbarian districts and the Hellenic cities, taking what they brought in under Seuthes, the successor of Sitalces, who raised it to its greatest height, amounted to about four hundred talents in gold and silver. There were also presents in gold and silver to a no less amount, besides stuff, plain and embroidered, and other articles, made not only for the king, but also for the Odrysian lords and nobles. For there was here established a custom opposite to that prevailing in the Persian kingdom, namely, of taking rather than giving; more disgrace being attached to not giving when asked than to asking and being refused; and although this prevailed elsewhere in Thrace, it was practised most extensively among the powerful Odrysians, it being impossible to get anything done without a present. It was thus a very powerful kingdom; in revenue and general prosperity surpassing all in Europe between the Ionian Gulf and the Euxine, and in numbers and military resources coming decidedly next to the Scythians, with whom indeed no people in Europe can bear comparison, there not being even in Asia any nation singly a match for them if unanimous, though of course they are not on a level with other races in general intelligence and the arts of civilized life.
It was the master of this empire that now prepared to take the field. When everything was ready, he set out on his march for Macedonia, first through his own dominions, next over the desolate range of Cercine that divides the Sintians and Paeonians, crossing by a road which he had made by felling the timber on a former campaign against the latter people. Passing over these mountains, with the Paeonians on his right and the Sintians and Maedians on the left, he finally arrived at Doberus, in Paeonia, losing none of his army on the march, except perhaps by sickness, but receiving some augmentations, many of the independent Thracians volunteering to join him in the hope of plunder; so that the whole is said to have formed a grand total of a hundred and fifty thousand. Most of this was infantry, though there was about a third cavalry, furnished principally by the Odrysians themselves and next to them by the Getae. The most warlike of the infantry were the independent swordsmen who came down from Rhodope; the rest of the mixed multitude that followed him being chiefly formidable by their numbers.
Modern Translation
The Odrysian empire stretched along the coast from Abdera to where the Danube meets the Black Sea. A merchant vessel sailing this coastline by the most direct route would need four days and four nights with favorable winds throughout the journey; traveling overland, a fit person taking the shortest path could reach the Danube from Abdera in eleven days. This was the extent of their coastal territory. Moving inland from Byzantium toward the Laeaeans and the Strymon River—the empire's furthest reach into the interior—required thirteen days of hard travel for someone in good condition. The tribute collected from both the barbarian territories and the Greek cities reached its peak under Seuthes, who succeeded Sitalces, amounting to approximately four hundred talents in gold and silver. Additionally, there were gifts of gold and silver worth at least as much, along with textiles both plain and decorated, and various other items presented not just to the king but also to the Odrysian nobility and lords. They had established a practice completely opposite to that of the Persian court—namely, taking rather than giving. Here it was more shameful to refuse a request for a gift than to ask and be denied. While this custom existed throughout Thrace, the powerful Odrysians practiced it most extensively, as nothing could be accomplished without offering presents. This made theirs an exceptionally powerful kingdom, surpassing all others in Europe between the Ionian Sea and the Black Sea in both revenue and overall prosperity. In population and military strength, they ranked second only to the Scythians, against whom no European nation could stand if they were united—though naturally the Scythians cannot match other peoples in general intelligence and the refinements of civilized society, nor indeed can any single Asian nation compete with them when unified.
This was the empire whose ruler now prepared for war. Once all preparations were complete, he began his march toward Macedonia, initially passing through his own territories, then crossing the barren mountain range of Cercine that separates the Sintians from the Paeonians. He followed a road he had constructed during a previous campaign against the Paeonians by clearing the forest. As he crossed these mountains with the Paeonians on his right and the Sintians and Maedians on his left, he eventually reached Doberus in Paeonia. His army suffered no losses during the march except perhaps from illness, and actually grew larger as many independent Thracians joined voluntarily, attracted by the prospect of plunder. The entire force reportedly numbered one hundred and fifty thousand. The majority were infantry, with cavalry comprising about one-third, supplied mainly by the Odrysians themselves and secondarily by the Getae. The fiercest infantry were the independent swordsmen from Rhodope; the remaining mixed crowd that followed was formidable primarily due to its sheer size.
Historical Context
This passage describes the Odrysian kingdom of Thrace and its military expedition against Macedonia in 429 BCE, led by King Sitalces. The Odrysians controlled a vast territory along the Black Sea coast and had become the most powerful kingdom in the region through a sophisticated tribute system and gift-exchange culture. Sitalces assembled an enormous army of 150,000 troops, including both his own subjects and independent Thracian tribes attracted by plunder. This campaign was part of the broader Peloponnesian War, as Sitalces was allied with Athens and attacked Macedonia, whose king Perdiccas had switched sides. The expedition represents one of the largest military mobilizations in ancient European history and demonstrates the complex diplomatic relationships between Greek city-states and their 'barbarian' neighbors.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Odrysian Kingdom
The Odrysian kingdom was the most powerful Thracian state, emerging in the 5th century BCE. It controlled vast territories from the Aegean to the Black Sea and maintained complex relationships with Greek cities through tribute and gift-exchange systems. Their military might made them valuable allies in Greek conflicts.
Learn more →Ancient Thrace
Thrace occupied modern Bulgaria, northeastern Greece, and European Turkey. The Greeks considered Thracians 'barbarians' but recognized their military prowess, especially their cavalry and peltasts. Thracian culture blended indigenous traditions with Greek influences, particularly in elite contexts.
Learn more →Gift Economy in Antiquity
The Odrysian practice of taking rather than giving represents a distinctive form of gift economy where power was demonstrated through extraction rather than distribution. This contrasted with Persian royal ideology of the king as generous benefactor and shows how different cultures conceptualized political authority.
Learn more →Talent (Currency)
A talent was a large unit of weight and currency in ancient Greece, approximately 26 kilograms of silver. The 400 talents of tribute mentioned here represents enormous wealth, comparable to Athens' annual tribute from its empire at its height.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Herodotus: Histories (Book 5.3-10)
Herodotus describes the Thracians as the most numerous people after the Indians and notes they would be invincible if united. He also discusses their customs and military practices, providing background for understanding Thucydides' account.
Read passage →Xenophon: Anabasis (Book 7.2-5)
Xenophon describes his service under Seuthes II, a later Odrysian king, providing insight into Thracian military organization, the gift-giving customs mentioned by Thucydides, and the relationship between Thracian rulers and Greek mercenaries.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (Book 12.50)
Diodorus provides a parallel account of Sitalces' expedition against Macedonia, offering additional details about the campaign's objectives and the alliance with Athens that motivated this massive military undertaking.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Thucydides' description of the Odrysian gift-economy challenge Greek assumptions about 'barbarian' societies? What does this tell us about cultural relativism in ancient historiography?
- Compare the military mobilization described here with modern examples. What logistical challenges would assembling and moving 150,000 troops present in antiquity?
- Why might Thucydides emphasize that the Scythians lack 'general intelligence and the arts of civilized life' despite their military superiority? What does this reveal about Greek cultural values?
- How does the Odrysian tribute system compare with the Athenian empire's tribute collection? What different models of imperial control do they represent?