Bactria

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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 BCE, 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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Articles

Article

Ai Khanum, the Capital of Eucratides

by Antoine Simonin
published on 12 October 2010
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, in a little plain between the Amou-Darya and the Kokcha... [continue reading]
Article

Some new hypotheses on the problems of the Indo-Greek kingdoms

by Antoine Simonin
published on 18 January 2012
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 of written accounts about them. The fact that the modern... [continue reading]
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Map of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom The Empire of Alexander the Great Achaemenid Empire Map Map of Alexander the Great's Conquests Bactrian Silver Tetradrachm The Persian Empire Bactrian Silver Tetradrachm

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Timeline

Visual Timeline
  • 327 BCE
    Alexander the Great marries the Bactrian girl Roxanne.
  • 293 BCE
    Antiochos is appointed vice-king of the Upper-Satrapies by his father Seleukos.
  • c. 280 BCE
    Incursion of northern nomads (Sakas) on Seleukids territories.
  • 250 BCE
    Former satrap Diodotos rebels against Seleucid king Antiochos I, creating the Greco-Bactrian kingdom.
  • c. 230 BCE
    Diodotos II is overthrown by Euthydemos. Beginning of the Euthydemid dynasty.
  • 208 BCE - 206 BCE
    Siege of Bactra by Antiochos III.
  • c. 200 BCE - c. 100 BCE
    Scythians tribes migrate into Bactria, Sogdiana and Arachosia.
  • 145 BCE
    Murder of Eucratides by his son. Weakening of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom.
  • c. 145 BCE
    Eucratidia is taken by the Sakas.
  • c. 139 BCE
    Eucratidia is looted to the ground by the Yuezhei.
  • c. 130 BCE
    The Yuezhei take control of Bactria.