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Bactria was a province of the Persian empire located in modern Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
After the defeat of Darius III of Persia, Bactria continued to offer resistance against Alexander the Great, led by Bessus, who had proclaimed himself successor to Darius. Alexander conquered it with great difficulty between 329-327 BC, largely with the help of local auxiliary forces. During his stay there, Alexander married a Bactrian woman, Roxanne, to aid his effort of controlling the region.
After Alexander's death, Bactria was part of the Seleucid Empire. The many difficulties against which the Seleucid kings had to fight and the attacks of Ptolemy II of Egypt gave Diodotus, satrap of Bactria, the opportunity to declare independence (about 255 BCE) and conquer Sogdiana, founding the Indo-Greek Kingdom.
After the defeat of Darius III of Persia, Bactria continued to offer resistance against Alexander the Great, led by Bessus, who had proclaimed himself successor to Darius. Alexander conquered it with great difficulty between 329-327 BC, largely with the help of local auxiliary forces. During his stay there, Alexander married a Bactrian woman, Roxanne, to aid his effort of controlling the region.
After Alexander's death, Bactria was part of the Seleucid Empire. The many difficulties against which the Seleucid kings had to fight and the attacks of Ptolemy II of Egypt gave Diodotus, satrap of Bactria, the opportunity to declare independence (about 255 BCE) and conquer Sogdiana, founding the Indo-Greek Kingdom.
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Ai Khanum (also spelled Ai-Khanoum or Ay-Khanum, lit. “Lady Moon” in Uzbek), was founded in the 4th century BC, following the conquests of Alexander the Great and was one of the primary cities of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom. The site is located in the northern part of modern Afghanistan...
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Warning: See the definitions of Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek Kingdoms before reading this article, otherwise the following lines could give you serious headaches! A lack of information is a common problem for historians of the Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek kingdoms, due to the almost-inexistence...
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- La Bactriane, histoire d'une région d'Asie centrale
http://antiquite.suite101.fr/article.cfm/la-bactriane-histoire-dune-region-dasie-centrale - Le site archéologique d'Aï Khanoum: Une cité grecque en Afghanistan
http://archeologie.suite101.fr/article.cfm/le-site-archeologique-dai-khanoum - Les Grecs en Afghanistan et en Inde: de Séleucos à Antiochos III
http://antiquite.suite101.fr/article.cfm/les-grecs-en-afghanistan-et-en-inde-de-seleucos--a-antiochos-iii
Recommend Book
Bactria Books
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University Press Of America (26 July 2000)Price: $70.35 -
Cambridge University Press (24 June 2010)Price: $40.58 -
Franz Steiner Verlag (01 December 1999)Price: $52.00 -
University of California Press (30 April 1999)Price: $70.00 -
Brill Academic Pub (06 May 1993)Currently unavailable
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Timeline
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329 BC
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293 BCAntiochos is appointed vice-king of the Upper-Satrapies by his father Seleukos. .
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c. 280 BCIncursion of northern nomads (Sakas) on Seleukids territories.
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250 BCFormer satrap Diodotos rebels against Seleucid king Antiochos I, creating the Greco-Bactrian kingdom.
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c. 230 BCDiodotos II is overthrown by Euthydemos. Beginning of the Euthydemid dynasty.
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208 BC - 206 BCSiege of Bactra by Antiochos III.
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145 BCMurder of Eucratides by his son. Weakening of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom.
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c. 130 BCThe Yuezhei take control of Bactria.
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