In the early 7th century BC Greeks from the insular country of Asia Minor reached the islands and the Thracian coast of the North Aegean Sea, the part bounded between the rivers Strymonas and Evros. The newcomers forced the onld inhabitants, the Thracians, to retreat to the inland and founded there a number of commercial stations (emporia) and colonies). Thus, emigrants from Paros island founded on the Thracian coast the following emporia and colonies: Galepsos, Apollonia, Oesymi, Antisara, Neapolis, Akontisma, Pistyros and Strymni: while later they advanced to the interior of the area with the purpose of exploiting the rich gold and silver deposits of mount Pangaion. Greeks from Asia Minor colonized the region east of the mouth of River Nestos and founded Avdira and Dikaia, while emigrants from Chios Island founded Maroneia at the foot of mount Ismaros, and Orthagoreia. The inhabitants of Samothrace Island, Aeolians and Ionians who arrived there in the early 7th century BC, were founders of many emporia and colonies on the Thracian coast: Mesimbria, Zoni, Drys, Sali, Charakoma, Tembyra, Samothracian, Peraia. The eastern colony of the Aegean Tracian coast, Aenos, was situated on the mouth of Evros river and was founded by Aeolians from the island of Alopekonissos and by emigrants from the islands of Mytiini and Euboea . The commercial relations between the Greeks of the colonies and the Thracians from inland resulted in the influence of Greece civilization on the Thracians and to the gradual hellenization of many of them.