Thracians Discussion

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The greek historian Heroditus claimed the Thracians were second only to the Indians in number, and if it wasn't for their lack of unity they would be the most powerful in the world. The lack of unity led to the Thracian defeat by King Darius of the Persian Empire in the 6th century BC. After the Greek defeated the Persians in 479 BC, most Thracian tribes were united under the rule of Teres I who ruled the Odrysian Kingdom. His son Sitalces enlarged the kingdom to a regional power stretching from the Aegean to the Danube. When the Pelloponesian War in Greece began, he allied with the Athenians to fight against the Macedonians and Spartans. The alliance with the Athenians lasted about 100 years until the Thracian Odrysian Kingdom threatened Athens. However after King Cotys died, the empire split apart and Philip II of Macedon arrived onto the scene ending true Thracian power and independence.