Editing Thrace (section)

==Etymology==
The word ''Thrace'', from [[ancient Greek]] ''Thrake'' (Θρᾴκη),<ref name="LSJ|*qra">{{LSJ|*qra/{{!}}kh|Θρᾴκη|ref}}</ref> referred originally to the [[Thracians]] (ancient Greek ''Thrakes'' Θρᾷκες),<ref>{{LSJ|*qra{{=}}{{!}}c|Θρᾷξ|ref}}</ref> an ancient people inhabiting Southeast Europe. The name ''Europe'' (ancient Greek Εὐρώπη), also at first referred to this region, before that term expanded to include its [[Europe|modern sense]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-20970684|title=Greek goddess Europa adorns new five-euro note|work=BBC News |date=10 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The idea of Europe: from antiquity to the European Union|last=Pagden|first=Anthony|editor1-first=Anthony|editor1-last=Pagden|date=2002|publisher=Woodrow Wilson Center Press; Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780511496813|location=Washington, DC; Cambridge; New York|language=en|chapter=Europe: Conceptualizing a Continent|chapter-url=http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam031/2001025960.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam031/2001025960.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live|doi=10.1017/CBO9780511496813}}</ref>

It has been suggested that the name ''Thrace'' derives from the name of the principal river of the region, the [[Maritsa|Hebros]]. The river's name may be derived from the Indo-European ''arg'' "white river" (the opposite of [[Vardar]], meaning "black river").<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pieter|first1=Jan|title=Thracians and Mycenaeans: Proceedings of the Fourth International Congress|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ucUAAAAIAAJ&q=hebros+white+river&pg=PA291|isbn=978-9004088641|year=1989|publisher=Brill Archive }}</ref> According to an alternative theory, Hebros means "goat" in [[Thracian language|Thracian]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theplovdivproject.tumblr.com/post/109036573725/reka-maritsa-hebros-original-name|title=The Plovdiv Project}}</ref>

Sixth century geographer [[Stephanus of Byzantium]] claimed that, long before the ancient Greeks started referring to the region as ''Thrace'', it was known as Aria (Αρια) and Perki (Περκη).<ref>[https://topostext.org/work/241 Stephanus Of Byzantium – Ethnica], Theta 316.9</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Billerbeck |first=Margarethe |title=Stephanus von Byzanz: Stephani Byzantii Ethnica / Delta – Iota |year=2010 |isbn=978-3111738505 |pages=Theta |language=German}}</ref>

In Turkish, Thrace is commonly referred to as ''[[Rumeli]]'', meaning "Land of the Romans", which was the name traditionally given by Turkic societies to the [[Byzantine Empire]] and [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christians]].

In Greek mythology, Thrace is named after the heroine and sorceress [[Thrace (mythology)|Thrace]], who was the daughter of [[Oceanus]] and Parthenope, and sister of [[Europa (Greek myth)|Europa]].