Odrysian kingdom

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The Odrysian kingdom was a union of Thracian tribes that endured between the 5th century BC and the 3rd century BC. It consisted largely of present-day Bulgaria, spreading to parts of Romania, northern Greece and Turkey.

Its former capital was Uscudama or Odrysia which is now the city of Edirne, in the European part of Turkey. King Seuthes III later moved the capital to Seuthopolis, located at the bottom of the "Koprinka" reservoir near the town of Kazanlak in Central Bulgaria.

History

The Odrysian state was the first Thracian kingdom that acquired power in the region, by the unification of many Thracian tribes under a single ruler, King Teres. Initially, the state included eastern Thrace and regions as far north as the mouths of the Danube.

Teres' son, Sitalkes proved to be a good military leader, forcing the tribes that defected the alliance to acknowledge his sovereignty. The rich state that spread from the Danube to the Aegean built roads to develop trade and built a powerful army that could reach 150,000 men. In 429 BC, they organized a campaign against the Macedonians, but they retreated after only thirty days.

Sitalkes wanted to unify all the Thracians, so he decided to fight the Triballi, but was killed in the battle that followed.

Seuthes I followed as king and during this time, the kingdom enjoyed a period of prosperity, but various Thracian tribes quit the Empire.

(to be written)

In the 4th century BC, it disintegrated into three smaller kingdoms, of which one, with the capital at Seuthopolis survived the longest.

List of Odrysian kings

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