Editing History of Bulgaria (section)

===The Thracians===
{{Main|Thracians|Odrysae|Odrysian kingdom|Getae|Moesi|Bessi}}

[[File:Valchitran-treasure.jpg|thumb|[[Valchitran Treasure]], c. 1300 BC]]

[[File:Reproduction of Thracian tomb 2.jpg|thumb|220x220px|[[Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak]], 4th century BC]]

The first people to leave lasting traces and cultural heritage throughout the region were the [[Thracians]]. Their origin remains obscure. It is generally proposed that a proto-Thracian people developed from a mixture of [[Neolithic Europe|indigenous peoples]] and [[Proto-Indo-Europeans|Indo-Europeans]] from the time of Proto-Indo-European expansion in the [[Bronze Age Europe|Early Bronze Age]]<ref>Hoddinott, p. 27.</ref> when the latter, around 1500 BC, conquered the indigenous peoples.<ref>Casson, p. 3.</ref> Thracian craftsmen inherited the skills of the indigenous civilisations before them, especially in gold working.<ref>{{cite book|title=Treasures of Lost Races|last=Noorbergen|first=Rene|publisher=Teach Services Inc.|year=2004|page=72|isbn=1-57258-267-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VSBnYno2-1oC&pg=PA71}}</ref>

The Thracians were generally disorganized, but had an advanced culture despite the lack of their own proper script, and gathered powerful military forces when their divided tribes formed unions under the pressure of external threats. They formed the [[Odrysian kingdom]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rehm |first1=Ellen |chapter=The Impact of the Achaemenids on Thrace: A Historical Review|editor1-last=Nieling |editor1-first=Jens |editor2-last=Rehm |editor2-first=Ellen |title=Achaemenid Impact in the Black Sea: Communication of Powers |date=2010 |publisher=Aarhus University Press |series=Black Sea Studies|volume=11|page=143|isbn=978-8779344310|quote=In 470/469 BC, the strategist Kimon, mentioned above, defeated the Persian fleet at the mouth of the Eurymedon river. Subsequently, it seems that the royal house of the Odrysians in Thrace gained power and in about 465/464 BC emerged from the Persian shadow. The Odrysians became aware of the power  vacuum  resulting  from  the  withdrawal  of  the  Persians  and  claimed  back supremacy over the region inhabited by several tribes. From this period onwards an indigenous ruling dynasty is comprehensible.}}</ref> Although the concept of an urban center was not developed until the Roman period, various larger fortifications which also served as regional market centers were numerous. Yet, in general, despite Greek colonization in such areas as [[Byzantium]], [[Apollonia, Thrace|Apollonia]] and other cities, the Thracians avoided urban life.

The first [[Greek colonies]] in Thrace were founded in the 8th century BC.<ref>Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth. ''The Oxford Classical Dictionary''. Oxford University Press, 1996, p. 1515. "From the 8th century BC the coast Thrace was colonised by Greeks."</ref>

====Achaemenid Persian invasions====
{{Main|Achaemenid Empire}}

[[File:Achaemenid Empire 500 BCE.jpg|thumb|The Achaemenid Empire at its greatest territorial extent, under the rule of [[Darius the Great|Darius I]] (522 BC–486 BC)<ref>2002 Oxford Atlas of World History [https://books.google.com/books?id=ffZy5tDjaUkC&pg=PA42 p.42 (West portion of the Achaemenid Empire)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129133020/https://books.google.com/books?id=ffZy5tDjaUkC&pg=PA42 |date=29 November 2022 }} and [https://books.google.com/books?id=ffZy5tDjaUkC&pg=PA43 p.43 (East portion of the Achaemenid Empire)].</ref>]]

Ever since the [[Macedon]]ian king [[Amyntas I]] surrendered his country to the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persians]] in about 512-511 BC, Macedonians and Persians were strangers no more.<ref name="Ref-1"/> Subjugation of [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonia]] was part of Persian military operations initiated by [[Darius the Great]] (521–486 BC). In 513 BC - after immense preparations - a huge Achaemenid army invaded the [[Balkans]] and [[European Scythian campaign of Darius I|tried to defeat]] the European [[Scythians]] roaming to the north of the [[Danube]] river.<ref name="Ref-1"/> Darius' army subjugated several [[Thracians|Thracian peoples]], and virtually all other regions that touch the European part of the [[Black Sea]], such as parts of nowadays [[Bulgaria]], [[Romania]], [[Ukraine]], and [[Russia]], before it returned to [[Asia Minor]].<ref name="Ref-1"/><ref>The Oxford Classical Dictionary by Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth,{{ISBN|0-19-860641-9}},"page 1515,"The Thracians were subdued by the Persians by 516"</ref> Darius left in Europe one of his commanders named [[Megabazus]] whose task was to accomplish conquests in the Balkans.<ref name="Ref-1"/> The Persian troops subjugated gold-rich [[Thrace]], the coastal Greek cities, as well as defeating and conquering the powerful [[Paeonians]].<ref name="Ref-1"/><ref>Timothy Howe, Jeanne Reames. [https://books.google.com/books?id=uuwTAQAAMAAJ&q=persians+conquered+paeonia ''Macedonian Legacies: Studies in Ancient Macedonian History and Culture in Honor of Eugene N. Borza''] (original from the [[Indiana University]]) Regina Books, 2008 {{ISBN|978-1-930053-56-4}} p 239</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.livius.org/ia-in/influence/influence02.html|title=Persian influence on Greece (2)|access-date=17 December 2014|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724223725/https://www.livius.org/ia-in/influence/influence02.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Finally, Megabazus sent envoys to Amyntas, demanding acceptation of Persian domination, which the Macedonians accepted.<ref name="Ref-1"/> Following the [[Ionian Revolt]], the Persian hold over the Balkans loosened, but was firmly restored in 492 BC through the campaigns of [[Mardonius (general)|Mardonius]].<ref name="Ref-1"/> The Balkans, including what is nowadays Bulgaria, provided many soldiers for the multi-ethnic Achaemenid army. Several Thracian treasures dating from the Persian rule in Bulgaria have been found.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kcvpAAAAMAAJ&q=persian+rule+bulgaria|title=Thracian Treasures from Bulgaria|year=1981|access-date=24 December 2014}}</ref> Most of what is today eastern Bulgaria remained firmly under the Persian sway [[Second Persian invasion of Greece|until 479 BC]].<ref name="Ref-1"/><ref>Dimitri Romanoff. [https://books.google.com/books?id=fPEqAQAAIAAJ&q=persians+conquer+bulgaria ''The orders, medals, and history of the Kingdom of Bulgaria''] Balkan Heritage, 1982 {{ISBN|978-87-981267-0-6}} p 9</ref> The Persian garrison at [[Doriscus]] in Thrace held out for many years even after the Persian defeat, and reportedly never surrendered. It remained as the last Persian stronghold in Europe.<ref>E.O. Blunsom. [https://books.google.com/books?id=9OmzcuGNJUgC&pg=PA101 ''The Past And Future Of Law''] Xlibris Corporation, 10 apr. 2013 {{ISBN|978-1-4628-7516-0}} p 101{{self-published source|date=January 2018}}</ref>{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=January 2018}}