Thracian branches and tribes

There have always been different opinions on how many branches or tribes the Thracians included. Herodotus advocated 65,438+09, but according to strabo, there were 22 in Thrace south of the Danube, and then Stephanus of Byzantium listed 43. This figure has changed obviously in different historical periods. Kazarau attributed it to the fact that many smaller tribes were eventually eliminated or annexed by larger tribes in the long-term struggle. But if that's the case, the number of tribes should be decreasing, but how can it increase? Therefore, it is also possible that the internal relations of all ethnic groups in Thrace are too complicated, and scholars in different periods in ancient times may not be able to personally experience and directly grasp the overall situation, especially those ethnic groups that have been mixed with neighboring ethnic groups. Their true faces are often confusing and different. The details of ancient writers are hard to explain, and later scholars can't help but sigh. For example, Paeonia lactiflora, which has been classified as Illyria, is still classified as Thracian by some modern scholars because it contains Thracian elements. According to Herodotus, Agathersians, who are quite similar to Thracians in lifestyle and customs, have been classified by modern scholars as nomadic Skitai or sarma Ti who migrated westward from the southern Russian grassland. In addition, as the ancestors of the modern Romanian nation, the Gaeta and the Darcy have now confirmed their Thracian nation, but the academic circles have long been controversial and have different opinions. Therefore, it is not easy to really understand the specific members of Thrace and their actual number.

According to the materials we obtained today, the Thracian ethnic group generally includes the following branches or tribes: Odrysae/Odrysian); Living on both sides of Altiskus River, a tributary of Hebrus River (now Maricha River); Pieres/Pierian, living in the narrow strip along the southeast coast of Macedonia; Edoni/Edones and Satrae); Lives between the Nestor River and the Stremont River. Sithonii/Sithonian, a member of the Sisong Peninsula in Carcy, or a branch of the Edonia people. Bessie, whose identity is still controversial, was once called a satellite branch by Herodotus. There is also Besal Tiya (Bisaltae/Bisaltian), who live in Macedonia west of the Stremont River; Bottiaei/Bottiaean is located on the right bank of Aksius River. Creston AEI/Creston II, who lives between the Aksius River and the Strommen River; Apsin Ti/Apsin Ti are in the plain near the enos River. Dorenkoy/Dorenci); In Kerr Sundnes (now Galibolu) Peninsula; Tracy, who lives in the southeast of Lodobby Mountain; Cicones/Ciconian is located in the coastal area west of Hebrus River. My Dones lives in the east of Macedonia, near Selma Bay; Bistoni live between Rodopi Mountain and Aegean Sea, near the city of Abdullah; Sapae/Sapae people, located in Pangu Mountain area. Cindy/Cindy); Once considered an ancient resident of Lemnos Island, he later moved to Macedonia. Maedi/Maedian is located on the west bank of Strymon River and the south slope of Skomius Mountain. Lacunar/lacunar); Coeylas, between the Hebrus River and Myras Bay, is a Seldi people living in Sofia, Bulgaria today.

The northern branch of the Thracians included Herta 'e Dachi/Dachian. Herodotus once praised Gaeta as "the bravest, fairest and most law-abiding of all Thracians". They live in the northern part of Mount Hemos (today's Balkan Mountains), the lower reaches of the Danube River and the Black Sea coast, and southern Russia. Darcy people live in Carpathian, Transylvania, Banat, Krishna, Lesh and Malamou. Their relationship is very close, and they are often collectively referred to as Dacia-Gaeta people. Strappo pointed out more clearly that Darcy and Gaeta speak "the same language". It is said that there are no fewer than 65,438+02 Dacia tribes mentioned in Ptolemy's records, including: Wenxi, Biefei, Sensi, Alpo, and Salden West); Preda, who lives in the west of Dacia, is about Krishna and Banat today; In today's central Dacia, from Transylvania and Ternava River in the north to Oltai in the south, on the Danube, Ratacensii/Racatensii, Buridavensii, Potulatensii and Keiagisii); In Sivara; There are also Costeaux Bochi people, Caucoensii people, Siensii people and Piefigii people living in eastern Dacia, that is, Moldova and East Wallachia today. In addition to the tribes mentioned by Ptolemy, Darcy also includes Carpi living in Moldova, Susie living at the mouth of the Oort River, Ansamenxi and Apuli along the Soames River. Even the generic names of the Daci people themselves, Daci and Dai, may have originated from one of their important tribes. Gaeta people include Coralli people, Tirizi people and Crobizi people living in the south of Brogat. Tribali, once famous for being defeated by Alexander the Great, may be a branch of the Gaeta people.

In addition, the Thracian ethnic group also includes Moesi/Moesian living in the south of the Danube River, present-day eastern Serbia and Bulgaria, Pyrogeri living in the wheat-producing area of the Hebrus River plain, Bastarnae living in the Danube River basin, and perhaps Peucini. The Thracian tribes mentioned by Herodotus and Thucydides respectively or together with * * * are Patti, Desai/Desai, Odomanti, Dee, Daroi, Oena and Dee. Some Thracian tribal names recorded by Xenophon can be found in Melanditae, Melinophagi, Tranipsae and Tinians. Other Thracian tribes mentioned by ancient writers include Astii/Astae, Caeni, Maduateni, Corpili/Corpilaes, Cebreni, Scaeboae and Derroni. Orrescii, tainter Ni, brenner Yi (Brenae), etc., and may also include Ligyri.

Buri/Brigis, who still lived in northern Macedonia during the Persian War, was once regarded as a Thracian tribe. Herodotus believes that Phryges/Phrygians living in the northwest of Asia Minor originated in bridges (or another translation of Phrygians) in the Balkans near Macedonia in Europe. When some of them moved to Asia in their early years, they changed their names and became Phrygians. In Greek mythology, Phrygia is a nation and country related to magical stories, such as King Midas and Goldie Ustie with alchemy. Strabo also talked about a part of Briggs crossing the Strait into Asia and renamed it Friggs. The Greek expressions of Buligi and Frigia are β υ ο ο/β1υ ο ο ο and φ υ ο ο ο ο. From the etymological point of view, the two seem to be quite close, or they are pronounced with the same name. Another historian, Sansos, affirmed that the Phrygians originated in Europe, and described in detail the migration of their ancestors from the west of the Yukexin Sea under the leadership of Scarmandris. Therefore, it can be inferred that there may be a close historical relationship between the Phrygia people and the Bliggi people, or even the larger Thracian ethnic group. As for the time when the Phrygia people entered Asia from Thrace, it is called the end of 2000 BC, and others are specific to the Trojan War around 12 century BC. From the linguistic background, Phrygia is complicated and is often considered by some scholars as "related to Thracians".

It is generally believed that the Bitini/Bitini and Missis/Missis in the western coastal areas of Asia Minor are probably descendants of Thracian immigrants who crossed the strait from the Balkans, and they may be mixed with local aborigines after arriving at the resettlement site. According to Appian's records, the origin of Bitini people can be traced back to the remnants of Thracians who fled after the Trojan War. They were probably forced to stay in Xiaoya because they couldn't find a boat to cross the channel and return to Thrace, or they turned around and returned to Xiaoya because of unbearable hunger after returning to Thrace. Herodotus claimed that the Bitini people used to be Strymonii on the Guester Rimmon River, and they were expelled from their native Thrace and moved to Asia and changed their names. Xenophon directly called it "the Thracian of Pythia". Thyni also moved from Thrace to Asia. "Tianning" and "Bittinian" are marked as θ υνοο and β ιυοοοοοοοοοοοοοοοοοοοοοοcοο It is not sure whether they are homophones or two independent nationalities, but at least it shows that they may have close kinship. So the place name of Bitinia in the northwest corner of Asia Minor is also called Dinia. It is said that the migration of the Bitinians took place shortly after the Phrygia invaded Asia in their early years. The ancestors of Mycenae are also considered to have originated from Thrace, but the descriptions of their cultural characteristics, origin and evolution by ancient writers are vague. Crossland thinks that Mycenae [first appeared in Assyrian historical documents under the name of "Muski"] may have entered Anatolia before Phrygia, and then they were found in Mycenae as a remnant of a country. Mycenae probably speak a mixed language of Lydia and Phrygia, which obviously has the color of ethnic blending, but it also makes their original identity identification quite difficult.

It is worth noting that these migration activities between Eurasia seem to be related to the legendary Trojan War (about BC12nd century) in time. In Homer's epic, Phrygia, Mycenae and Thracians (such as the legend of the famous king Rizos riding a white horse to help solve problems) are all described as Trojan allies, which may not be a pure coincidence. Aside from the legendary veil that Homer and his descendants put on this ancient war, can we imagine that it was a real historical period when the situation around the Aegean Sea experienced violent turmoil? In order to seize their own living space, especially in order to enter the Black Sea and control their profitable trade, the Greeks had a very fierce confrontation and struggle with the Trojans who seized the waterway (perhaps not all as described in the epic), and various forces were obviously divided and reorganized, forming a confrontation between two camps, one was the Greek States, and the other was Troy and its allies of all ethnic groups in Thrace. Judging from the interest pattern at that time, the Greeks were in an offensive position trying to change the status quo, while the Trojans and Thrace ministries might be eager to maintain the status quo, which determined the position and value orientation of the Thracians in the war. During this period, there will be ups and downs, perhaps there will be frequent population migration and mobility, and the territory of the nation-state will change and advance. I am afraid that just before and after this, the Thracian ethnic group itself experienced differentiation and mobility, which triggered the migration of several branches (such as the ancestors of Phrygia, Bitinia and Tianningya) from the Balkans to Asia Minor, even though it was not excluded that there had been some movements in the opposite direction. This is possible not only from the fragment analysis of ancient writers' records, but also from the general sense of logical reasoning.

Probably because of such a large-scale migration, we can see the extensive distribution pattern of Thrace ethnic group and its related branches or veins in the Balkans and northwest Asia in the classical era.

If we further broaden our horizons, we will find that even the West Merrians, who have been active in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and even the north of the Caucasus Mountains since ancient times, are said to associate their language and national cultural background with Thrace-Phrygia or Thracians. If this is the case, then the people involved in Thrace attribute and their range of activities may be much wider than people think.

The description and restoration of ancient national conditions often depend on the understanding of their language, and language often occupies a very special position in the national elements. The internal structure of ancient languages and the nature of their relationship with other languages may even contain some important information about the migration direction and route of ancient people. Therefore, language materials are an indispensable index or frame of reference for the study of ancient national history. The more sufficient language information we get, the more complete and accurate our judgment of the nature of a particular country and our grasp of its overall situation will be. On the contrary, it will make research difficult.