The Achaemenids Presence in Thrace and Survey on Their Art and Architecture Based on Archaeological Evidence

Although many archaeological evidences have not been found from the Achaemenian period, the domain of findings of this period have increased day by bay. One of these evidences includes treasures and cultural findings which have been identified in Thrace, situated in the Balkan Peninsula. This region was of great importance for the Achaemenid Empire because of its rich underground resources and also as the regional interface to deal with the Scythians. With respect to lack of data about this area, it is essential to search on the Achaemenid influence and its connections with Thrace region. So this paper concentrates on the presence of the Achaemenids in Thrace as well as similarities between the Achaemenid treasures with the Thracian ones. The archaeological and historical evidences - including written documents like Herodotus, Achaemenian royal inscriptions at Naqsh-e Rostam, Persepolis and Susa, reliefs of Skudrian and Thracian at Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam - imply that Thrace was a Satrapy in the Achaemenian Empire. When Thrace became one of the Achaemenid Satrapies, it accepted the Achaemenid standardization about art and architecture. This standardization appeared in the production of metal vessels, silver bowls and phiales with decoration of almond and lotus, production of rhytons with animal figures such as bull, horse and lion reliefs, standardization of phiales weight according to the Achaemenid sigloi and etc. After eviction of the Achaemenids in Thrace and subsequently dominance of Odrysian there, the Achaemenid influences remained. It can be observed in the appearance of Duvanli complex and treasure. Associated treasures of the ancient Thrace mostly were found from the modern Bulgaria. Researchers and archaeologists have attributed the artifacts to the Achaemenid art. Most of these treasures are related to the fourth century B.C.; so it can show an undeniable influence of the Achaemenid art on that time. In addition to Duvanli treasure, some other precious treasures can be mentioned including: Rogozen, Panagyurishte, Borovo, Dalboki. Each of these treasures shows some similarities as well as influences of the Achaemenid art. The Duvanli amphora with typical decoration of the Achaemenid art - such as palmette and lotus chains - is an example of the mentioned influence. The other examples contains: silver bowls and phiales of Rogozen treasure with decorations of almond shape; weight standardization based on the Achaemenid sigloi; some golden phiales in the Panagyurishte treasure which are proportional with the Achaemenid daric; and rhytons of Borovo treasure in the shapes of bulls, sphinx and horse which were the current figures in the Achamenid iconography. On the other hand, we can point to the Achaemenian influences in the architecture, too. The similarities between Ostrousha and Cyrus the Great tombs indicate this effect. All of these influences suggest an international style in the art and architecture that existed in the Achaemenid era. Of course this style continued even after fall of the Achaemenian Empire. This study is on the basis of gathering information, pictorial and written documentary data as well as library studies that have been done through descriptive and analytic method.