Altthrakien als historische Einheit
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Abstract
In the first part ofthis study the author attempts to establish certain criteria
that can evaluate a historical entity as such as well as the limits within problematism can move so that any extreme positivism will be avoided ; a positivism that can finally reach the point ofnegating the evolutionary process ofhistory. Such positivism can also adapt the materialization of certain historical phenomena by reason of pure essentialism (Essentialismus) which can lead to the creation ofhistorical "plasms”. A critical reconstruction ofall scientific facts concerning the history of the Thracians can not but take into consideration this extraordinary historical entity which, at the same time, is a historical reality, an ideal (Platonic) entity in the historical consciousness of the Greeks as well as a methodological principle, and a subject for research that can help us enrich our
knowledge. Part II of the present study deals with the following aspects: (a) If Thrace constitutes a geographical entity seen from ethnological viewpoint; (b) inside what chronological boundaries did the Thracians move ; (c) what kind of social structure did these racial groups have; (d) how is the question of historical continuity being put forward. Elaborating on the latter point (d) the author reaches the conclusion that historical continuity can also be established from without, but mostly from within, based on the possibility a group may have to individualize these phenomena and to objectify its experience deriving from the written word. From this point of view the history of the Thracians belongs so much to History in general—based on the percentage of written sources, mostly Greek and Latin—as to pre-history, if we are to judge from the immediate achaeological facts alone. This again is the reason we often encounter misunderstandings regarding the importance of these archaeological facts. This study presents a critical examination of the views of certain scholars,
mainly Bulgarians, who have lately preoccupied themselves with this subject,
and especially the views of Chr. Danov.
that can evaluate a historical entity as such as well as the limits within problematism can move so that any extreme positivism will be avoided ; a positivism that can finally reach the point ofnegating the evolutionary process ofhistory. Such positivism can also adapt the materialization of certain historical phenomena by reason of pure essentialism (Essentialismus) which can lead to the creation ofhistorical "plasms”. A critical reconstruction ofall scientific facts concerning the history of the Thracians can not but take into consideration this extraordinary historical entity which, at the same time, is a historical reality, an ideal (Platonic) entity in the historical consciousness of the Greeks as well as a methodological principle, and a subject for research that can help us enrich our
knowledge. Part II of the present study deals with the following aspects: (a) If Thrace constitutes a geographical entity seen from ethnological viewpoint; (b) inside what chronological boundaries did the Thracians move ; (c) what kind of social structure did these racial groups have; (d) how is the question of historical continuity being put forward. Elaborating on the latter point (d) the author reaches the conclusion that historical continuity can also be established from without, but mostly from within, based on the possibility a group may have to individualize these phenomena and to objectify its experience deriving from the written word. From this point of view the history of the Thracians belongs so much to History in general—based on the percentage of written sources, mostly Greek and Latin—as to pre-history, if we are to judge from the immediate achaeological facts alone. This again is the reason we often encounter misunderstandings regarding the importance of these archaeological facts. This study presents a critical examination of the views of certain scholars,
mainly Bulgarians, who have lately preoccupied themselves with this subject,
and especially the views of Chr. Danov.
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