History of the Peloponnesian War

He called out, further, the Agrianians and Laeaeans, and all the other Paeonian tribes which were under his sway.[*](Paeonian tribes that dwelt in the mountain regions bordering on Macedonia, watered by the Upper Strymon and the Axius; most of them were afterwards subject to Macedonia.)These peoples were at the outer limits of his empire ; for the bounds of his empire extended, on the side towards the Paeonians, who are independent, as far as the Laeaean Paeonians and the river Strymon,[*](Now Struma.) which flows from mount Scombrus through the country of the Agrianians and the Laeaeans.

On the side toward the Triballi, who also are independent, the boundary is formed by the Treres and Tilataeans; and these dwell to the north of Mount Scombrus and extend toward the west as far as the river Oscius.[*](Now Isker.)This river has its source in the same mountains as the Nestus[*](Now Masta.) and the Hebrus[*](Now Maritza.)-a mountain range of great extent and uninhabited that is adjacent to Rhodope.

Now the empire of the Odrysians[*](Coinciding in the main with modern Bulgaria.) in respect to its size extended along the sea-coast from the city of Abdera to the Euxine Sea as far as the river Ister. This stretch of coast constitutes a voyage for a merchant-vessel, if the shortest course is taken and the wind keeps steady astern, of four days and as many nights; but the journey by land from Abdera to the Ister can be accomplished by an active man, taking the shortest route, in eleven days.

Such was its extent on its seaboard; but inland the distance from Byzantium to the Laeaeans and the river Strymon-for this was its inland point farthest distant from the sea—it is possible for an active man to cover in thirteen days.

As for the tribute which came in from the barbarian territory and from all the Hellenic cities over which the Odrysians acquired sway in the time of Seuthes[*](Nephew and successor of Sitalces: cf. Thuc. 2.101.5, Thuc. 2.101.6; Thuc. 4.101.5.)—who, succeeding Sitalces on the throne, brought the revenues to their maximum—its value was about four hundred talents[*](£81,000, $388,800.) in coin, and was paid in gold and silver; and gifts equal in value to the tribute, not only of gold and silver, but besides these all manner of stuffs, both embroidered and plain, and other articles for household use, were brought as offerings to the king, and not for him only, but also for the subordinate princes and nobles of the Odrysians.

For these kings had established a custom which was just the opposite of that prevailing in the kingdom of the Persians,[*](Among the Persians the monarch gave rather than received presents: cf. διαμένει δ’ ἔτι καὶ νῦν τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ἡ πολυδωρία.Xen. Cyrop. 8.2.7) namely, to take rather than to give; indeed it was more disgraceful for a man not to give when asked than to ask and be refused. This custom was observed among the other Thracians also; but the Odrysian kings, as they were more powerful, followed it more extensively; indeed it was not possible to accomplish anything without giving gifts.