Thrace Thrace Thrace (; Modern , "Thráki"; , "Trakiya"; ) is a geographical and historical area in Southeast Europe, now split between Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south and the Black Sea to the east. It comprises southeastern Bulgaria (Northern Thrace), northeastern Greece (Western Thrace) and the European part of Turkey (East Thrace). In antiquity, it was also referred to as "Europe", prior to the extension of the term to describe the whole continent. The name "Thrace" comes from the Thracians, an ancient Indo-European people inhabiting Southeast
Diocese of Thrace Diocese of Thrace The Diocese of Thrace (, ) was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, incorporating the provinces of the eastern Balkan Peninsula (comprising territories in modern south-eastern Romania, central and eastern Bulgaria, and Greek and Turkish Thrace). Philippopolis (modern Plovdiv, in Bulgaria) was the capital. The diocese was established as part of the reforms of Diocletian and Constantine the Great, and was headed by a "vicarius" subordinate to the praetorian prefecture of the East. As outlined in the "Notitia Dignitatum" of ca. 400, the diocese included the provinces of Europa, Thracia, Haemimontus, Rhodope, Moesia II and Scythia