THE REACTION

B.C. 335

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Mount Haemus.

The country which was formerly occupied by Macedon and the other states of Greece is now Turkey in Europe. In the northern part of it is a vast chain of mountains called now the Balkan. In Alexander's day it was Mount Haemus. This chain forms a broad belt of lofty¹ and uninhabitable² land, and extends from the Black Sea to the Adriatic.

Thrace. The Hebrus.

A branch of this mountain range, called Rhodope, extends southwardly from about the middle of its length, as may be seen by the map. Rhodope separated Macedonia from a large and powerful country, which was occupied by a somewhat rude but warlike race of men. This country was Thrace. Thrace was one great fertile basin or valley, sloping toward the center in every direction, so that all the streams from the mountains, increased by the rains which fell over the whole surface of the ground, flowed together into one river, which meandered³ through the center of the valley, and flowed out at last into the Aegean Sea. The name of this river was the Hebrus. All this may be seen distinctly upon the map.

1. lofty: of imposing height 2. uninhabitable: unsuitable for living in 3. meandered: follow a curved path

Valley of the Danube. Thrace.