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The Quest for the origins of the ancient Thracians

Ioannis Fidanakis - 7/16/2008

The search for the identity of the ancient Thrakiotes (Thracians) lies within the question of just who was a Hellene in the ancient world. Whether through ancient mythology, history or modern archeology and anthropology the search for just who were the ancient Hellenes lead us on a difficult journey with today’s political climate. The fact that the ancient Hellenic people were polyonymous people just add to the friction between scholars with each owns political motives. How do we define the ancient Hellenic ethnos, when it was divided in to tribes, which did not feel a common kindred till later on in history, a process, which in and of itself was slowly realized and crudely selective. Are only the ancient city-states of Athens and Sparta the center of our people? A misconception held by some today, mostly because of our neighbor’s claims on different parts of our history and present territory. What defines people? Is it their common culture, religion, language, and descendant? Even so, where do we draw the line as what is a common anything? Are only those who shared the culture, religion, and dialects of southern Hellas to be considered Hellenes? What about others whose culture, religion, and language may have evolved differently far from their southern Hellenic brothers?

Firstly, before getting in-depth we must remember that the ancient Hellenes did not call themselves Hellenes. Before the deluge of Deukalion they were actually called Pelsagians. The collective conscious of being a Hellene was a slow evolution out of the Pelsagi. The term Hellene before the time of Homer was nothing more then a tribe in Thessalik Phthia, the tribe of Achilles. The word Hellas was not officially used until Alexander the Great, in his declaration against the Persians, which began the campaign to liberate the Hellenic city-states in Asia Minor and get revenge for the burning of Athens years before.
Part of the evolution of the Hellenic consciousness out of the Pelasgian people can be seen through the evolution of the Hellenic language. Even here we see our neighbors use misconceptions to attack Hellenism. There are some today that believe the Pelasgian people were not Hellenic and that the Pelasgian language was different. My question to these people is why can’t the original Pelasgian language of our forefathers been connected to the Hellenic language, perhaps it was a much more archaic and primitive language unlike the more refined Attic Hellenic which evolved in and around Athens. This would answer the question of why Southern Hellenes would have viewed certain languages being ‘barbarian’, rather then Hellenic. It is known that the Linear B Hellenic would have been mostly unintelligible to Attic speakers. If this is the case those who continued to speak the Linear B form would have had their dialect evolved differently then those who spoke the more refined version of the language, a kind of Highland-Lowland evolution of the Hellenic language, which would explain why Attic speakers may have misunderstood these dialects as barbarian speech.
When it comes to Archaeological evidence of just who the Pelasgians were we find in most cases an indication that they were akin to Hellenes. This coincides with Herodotus view that the Hellenic people descended from the Pelasgian [1]. Discoveries found through different archaeological excavations help provide physical confirmation of the tradition of the Athenians as the descendants of the Pelasgians, who appear to descend continuously from the Neolithic inhabitants in Thessaly. For sure if the Athenians descended from the Pelasgians who are we to judge any other branch of Hellenism, who did the same as not being Hellenes? A Pelasgian is a Hellene and a Hellene is a Pelasgian, there is no blood difference between them. The ‘difference’ comes purely from evolutionary process of their common kin separately. Leaving the true question of who is a Hellene to a refinement of culture and language.
There are many different theories to what the words Hellas and Hellenes originate from. Some of the most recognized ideas give us the meanings “our people”, “our nation”, or “our people of the stones”, the last theory lining up perfectly with Hellenic mythology and the story of the deluge myth with Deukalion. Recent works have lead to new arguments, stemming from writings of Aristotle, and the argument that the high priests of Dodona in Epirus, called the Selli, maybe been the name donors to our ethnic identity. Interestingly enough, Homer writes of Achilles praying to Dodonian Zeus as the ancestral god: “King Zeus, he cried, lord of Dodona, god of the Pelasgi, who dwellest afar, you who hold wintry Dodona in your sway, where your prophets the Selli dwell around you with their feet unwashed and their couches made upon the ground.[2]

The March towards Unity

With the awakening of a common Hellenic identity, we see in the ancient world a slow promotion of Pan-Hellenic unity, through various of religious festivals and the Pan-Hellenic games, such as the Olympics, where only ‘Hellenes’ could participate through their tribal allegiances.

The Hellenic tribes of the north, those who did not participate in the southward migration of the four groups recognized as “Hellenes” have always had their common Hellenic roots attacked, yet did not Ptolemy call Epirus primordial Hellas? True southern Hellas was the soul of Hellenism with the arts and sciences pouring out of their city-states, yet it is in the North, which “not enlighten as politically” we find the heart and identity of what it meant to truly be a Hellene.

The difference in political systems has also played a cause in dividing Northern Hellenes and Southern Hellenes, basing arguments not on common descendant, but ridiculous differences and decisions. One cause for the north’s lack of “Hellenic” identity deals with the tribe’s lack of participation in the Persian Wars. Another problem stems from the north’s continued use of a monarchial political system rather then the south’s democratic city state system. Lastly and most important to understand is the north’s so called barbarian speech. Natural even though Northern Hellenes spoke Hellenic dialects, they had evolved differently from their southern versions. Making them sound perhaps even unrecognizable to a Southern Hellene.

The Battle for Thracian Hellenism

Makedonian and Epirote Hellenism are no stranger to the revisionist claims of the enemies of Hellenism. Yet such claims against Thracian Hellenism have gone on for far too long without a flick of attention by our ethnos. Who where the ancient Thrakiotes? Mythology states they are descendant of Thrax, son of Ares. The beginnings of Thracian culture date back to 3,000 BC with archaeological findings. Evolving, like Hellenes, from the Pelasgian people, which is see by the parallels between Thracian culture and Minoan, Mycenaean and Phrygian cultures. According to Alexander Fol, the concept of "Mycenaean Thrace" was first developed in 1973 in order to explain the relative cultural unity between the Thracians and the Mycenaeans.[3] In 1984, the Fourth International Congress of Thracology, which was held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, held a symposium done by Minister of Education and Science Dr. W.J. Deetman entitled “Thracians and Mycenaeans”. This event was organized to help bring more discussions about the possible ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic interrelations between Thracians and Hellenes.
Linguistics
Attic colonization of Thraki began in the 6th century BC bringing Thracian Hellenism under the direct influence of the development of Southern Hellenism. The Thracian language until the presence of the Attic dialect is best defined as an archaic dialect of the Hellenic Language. Recently Sorin Olteanu, a Romanian linguist stated “as a thracologist, I know that old Greek and Thracian languages were, on one hand, genetically related and that, on the other hand, as neighbors for a long time, they must have had mutual borrowings” [4]
Sorin goes on to say that, the kinship of Greek and Thracian was denied because of their belonging to different groups following the centum-satem isogloss. In his opinion this split is not as relevant as it was thought to be. Late Latin and Romance languages have more satem characters than classical Latin, there are also some modern German dialects in this situation (see the pronunciation iš for ich) etc. [5]

Europe’s oldest script was found in Thraki, in the form of ancient tablets in present day southern Bulgaria. The tablets, unearthed near the Southern town of Kardzhali, are over 35-centuries old, and bear the ancient script of the Cretan (Minoan) civilization, according to scientists from the University of Heidelberg, who examined the findings. This is the Cretan writing, also known as Linear A script, which dates back to XV-XIV century B.C. [6] Linear A, is ancestor to both Linear B (Mycenaean) and ancient Cypriot writing systems.
Biologically
Racially the Thracian people showed the same physical characteristics as other Hellenes. According to Dr. Beth Cohen, Thracians had “the same dark hair and the same facial features as the Greeks.” [Cohen, Beth, ed., 2000, Not the Classical Ideal: Athens and the Construction of the Other in Greek Art, Leiden] Recent genetic analysis comparing DNA samples of ancient Thracian individuals with individuals from modern ethnicities place Italian, Albanian and Greek individuals in closer genetic kinship with the Thracian individuals than Romanian and Bulgarian individuals. [7]
Archeological

The union of many Thracian tribes into the Odrysian Kingdom in the 5th Century BC begins Thracian Hellenism as a united political force in Haimos (the Balkans). Before hand Thrakiotes were divided into numerous tribes with no certain leadership until the Odrysian King Teres. The Odrysians adopted the Attic dialect as ruling language of a Thraki, uniting us with the fate of southern Hellenism. In 2005, Bulgarian archaeologists announced the finding of the first Thracian capital, Seuthopolis, which brought findings of a Hellenic city, with the appearance of Hellenic-like vases and other findings. Seuthopolis was the first city built following the Hellenistic model and unifying to a considerable extent the construction on Southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. [8]
Another finding around the same time found the riches of a Thracian King’s tomb; the tomb included decorated bronze, iron and copper armor and body wear, engraved with scenes from Greek mythology. [9] The 2007 finding of a Mycenaean Sword Cap unearthed in a sanctuary near the Arda River valley in Bulgaria only strengthens the Hellenic origins of the ancient Thracians. "The find dates from 15th century BC and it is typical for the Mycenaean armament," the archaeologist Georgi Nihrizov explained. [10]. Even the most ancient Thracian symbol used by a ruler discovered, resembled Minoan which symbolized people who used the Linear A writing system. The artifact was unearthed near the village of Golyam Dervent. Dichev and Agre were researching a dolmen (dolmens were the first Thracian tombs) when they noticed a frieze of intertwined zoomorphic and geometrical elements carved on the entrance of the tomb. The most interesting part of the discovery is the double-axe (labris) - a symbol of power in the Thracian society - placed inside a circle. The labris has lots of additional ornamentation on it, Dichev said. The frieze includes the images of snakes, which were the symbol of the king in the Thracian religious beliefs.
[11]
However, does linguistics or culture really measure what was or wasn’t Hellenic in the ancient world? What of ones commitment and contributions to Hellenism in general? For even if one was genetically and linguistically Hellenic in origin, like the ancient Thracians, should we fail to not evaluate them also on the very bond that makes us Hellenes in spirit?

Thracian Contribution to Hellenism

The Thracians gave Hellenism such mythical figures as Dionysus and Orpheus, Cynicism, which Antisthenes, whose mother was Thracian, was the first philosopher to outline its themes, they took part in the ancient Olympics, which can be seen in the victors records of Wrestling in 476 BC [12]. They were even part of the First Athenian League in 487 BC. In Hellenistic times, it was the Thracians Zenodotus, Aristarchus of Samothrace and Aristophanes of Byzantium who gave back through literature and linguistics to Hellenism. Dionysus of Thrace and his work Techne Grammatike is considered the first Hellenic grammar. All contributions by Thracians for the glory of Hellenism. Thracian troops marched proudly along side others in the Pan-Hellenic League lead by Alexander the Great against the Persian Empire. Giving their very lives for the cause that was Hellas.

Thracian Hellenism has produced its own unique pattern inside Hellenism, with gifts of Heroes and philosophers to Hellas as well. We all know of the adventures of Jason, of Hercules, and King Leonidas when we think of ancient Hellenic Heroes, but what of Sparadokos (Spartacus) the Thracian who defied an empire. The true gladiator-slave who commanded an army of slaves that fought against their Roman masters in the Third Servile War. Philosophy springs forth thoughts of Plato and Socrates, and yet what of Democritics, who co-originated the belief of the Atom and first proposed the universe was made up of many different worlds. What of Sitalkes, the King who expanded the territory of the Kingdom of Thraki greatly and today is memorialized by the Sitalk Peak in Antarctica, which is named after him. And how could one forget Philo of Byzantium and his brilliant mind. This is just a brief look at the richness of Thracian Hellenism and its many legendary children.

Conclusion

In the end, what is it that truly makes us Hellenes? Is it our common linguistic roots or our ability to understand the modern Hellenic language? Is it more then common-rooted culture or perhaps it’s the very blood that flows within our veins and our racial origins? Whatever argument one dares to take, in the end it’s the very contributions given back to Hellenism that truly shows who is and who isn’t an Hellene, because this is more then a continuation of traditions or languages, its more then blood, its about the beat of your heart and the spirit of your soul.

The ancient Thrakiotes have proven themselves an important role within Hellenism and it is a national embarrassment how the current Hellenic government and our community’s education programs have not done more to protect Thraki’s Hellenic identity. Is Thraki any less important than Makedonia? Has it not helped to shape our modern identity? Is Thraki really worth sacrificing to Bulgaria and Turkey? With all my heart I pray this isn’t true, and that we will awake from this lack of patriotism and refusal to accept our very duty as modern Hellenes to protect what our ancestors have left to us.

If we are to hold on to Thracian Hellenism, we must also hold on to its rich ancient history as well. Today the Bulgarian government is planning to rebuild the ancient Thracian capital of Seuthopolis, which is currently located at the bottom of the Koprinka Reservoir that was built with full knowledge of the city’s location during its construction. The 2005 proposal, by Architect Zheko Tilev, hopes to reconstruct the city with a wall surrounding the ruins in the middle of Koprinka Reservoir; this project would make the ancient capital a huge tourist destination as a World Heritage Site. If such a project is completed the Bulgarian nation will have soul claims on what images to portray about the ancient Thracians; an image of which will falsely be of a non-Hellenic people. This is why I propose, that the Hellenic Government should aid in this reconstruction to raise the ancient capital back to its previous international importance and hence also benefiting with the ability of showing our side of Thracian History as to prevent a monopoly on the possible origins of the ancient Thracians until concrete evidence can be internationally agreed upon.
Notes
1. Histories. Book I, Section 58.
2. Homer, "Iliad", book 16, 233–235
3. Best, Jan and De Vries, Nanny. Thracians and Mycenaeans. E.J. Brill Academic Publishers, Boston, MA. 1989
4. A New Dimension of the Linguistical Relations between Romanian and Greek, by Sorin Olteanu
5. A New Dimension of the Linguistical Relations between Romanian and Greek, by Sorin Olteanu
6. Novinite, .
7. Cardos, G., Stoian V., Miritoiu N., Comsa A., Kroll A., Voss S., Rodewald A., Paleo-mtDNA analysis and population genetic aspects of old Thracian populations from South-East of Romania, Romanian Journal of Legal Medicine, 2004< http://www.scribd.com/doc/326027/PaleomtDNA-analysis-and-population-genetic-aspects-of-old-Thracian-populations-from-SouthEast-of-Romania>
8. A Connection between Thracians and Greeks
9. Bulgaria unearths Thracian riches, BBC News, Monday July 25, 2005
10. Mycenaean Sword Cap Found in Thracian Sanctuary in Bulgaria 12 June 2007, Tuesday
11. Unique Thracian Symbol of Royalty Discovered in Bulgaria 11 June 2007, Monday
12.

Bibliography
1. Ancient Thracian city of Seuthopolis
2. Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak- UNESCO World Heritage Centre
3. Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari- UNESCO World Heritage Centre
4. Kouvalakis, Pan, Greek alphabet was in use at 6000 BC, "Davlos" magazine
5. Brunwasser, Matthew, Thracian Gold Fever, Vol. 58 Number 2 March/April 2005, the Archaeological Institute of America
6. Rumjana Georgieva, Tosho Spiridonov, Maria Rejo, Univ. Press "Sv. Kliment Ohridski", Sofia, 1999, Ethnology of the Thracians
7. ARCHAEOLOGISTS IN BULGARIA FIND LABYRINTH RESEMBLING ONE IN CRETE 08:02 Thu 14 Jun 2007
8. Gold mask found in Thracian king’s tomb, Mon., July. 16, 2007 The Associated Press.
9. The First Athenian League, Foundation of the Hellenic World. 2007
10. Philology in the Hellenistic times and its contribution, Foundation of the Hellenic World. 2007