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Alexander the Great, whose army built fortresses and assigned Greek and Macedonian troops and all manner of support staff — from architects and doctors to administrators, artisans, tradesmen, even prostitutes — to remain behind in Bactria and begin to settle in that region during the late 4th century BC while Alexander continued his invasion east to India.



For at least two centuries prior to Alexander's arrival in 330 BC, Bactria had been a prized part of the Achaemenid Empire (559-330 BC) and, before that, the Median Empire (728-559 BC).



The wide fertile plains that stretched between the northern slopes of the Hindu Kush and the Oxus River during ancient times, the valuable Silk Road trading centers and rich gold, silver and lapis deposits in the nearby mountains made Bactria a highly prized satrapy (regional governorship) for the Achaemenid Persians.



Among the Tribute Processions that survive along the eastern stairway of the



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Since Greek prisoners captured in the many wars that took place between the Achaemenids and Greeks during the 5th and 4th centuries BC were often exiled to Bactria, the indigenous population of Bactria already included a high percentage of Greeks when Alexander's army arrived there in 329-328 BC.



These battle-hardened Bactrian Greeks, frequently employed by the Acheamenids in major battles and conscripted by Alexander for his own campaigns in the East, formed the backbone of a force that dominated Bactria from the mid-3rd to the second half of the 2nd century BC.



Under the leadership of Alexander's former soldiers and their descendents, the Bactrian Greeks created a Hellenic-inspired kingdom in the heart of Central Asia.



The Greeks' capitol at Bactra (present-day Balkh) included a huge Seleucid-era fortress and Hellenistic-style architecture. Corinthian capitals that once adorned large multi-columned palaces, discovered at Balkh, date from this early period.



Seizing an opportunity provided by the Seleucid dynasty, which asserted nominal dominion over Bactria but was too distracted by wars in Egypt to defend its territories in the East, the Bactrian Greeks achieved independence under Diodotus, the Seleucid satrap (regional governor) of Bactria.



Diodotus renounced the Seleucid emperor Antiochus II in 256 BC and declared himself king after hearing that his ally Andragoras, the Seleucid satrap of the province of Partahia (Parthia) had just done the same. Very soon, however, Andragoras was toppled by the Parthian chieftain Arsaces, who established the Parthian Empire in Iran, which undermined Bactrian control of overland trade along the Silk Road and effectively cut off Greeks in Bactria from the Greek world in the Mediterranean.



Diodotus was succeeded by his son Diodotus II, who was overthrown by the Seleucid satrap of Sogdia, a Greek named Euthydemus (ruled: 230-200/195 BC).





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Ancient sources tell us that after seizing the Graeco Bactrian throne, Euthydemus gathered a force of some 100,000 horsemen and engaged the mighty Seleucid army in northwestern Afghanistan. Retreating back to his fortress capital Bactra, Euthydemus survived a three-year-long siege (208-205 BC) mounted by the Seleucid emperor Antiochus III. Hostilities ended with a peace agreement that confirmed Graeco-Bactrian independence.



The final years of Euthydemus's reign, circa 200–195 BC, roughly coincides with the beginning of the Bactrian invasion of India under his son and successor, Demetrius I. Still floundering in discord since the death of Ashoka the Great (ruled: 272-232 BC), India was a rich prize for the ambitious Bactrian Greeks.





The Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom — the easternmost region of the Hellenistic world covering Bactria (northern Afghanistan) and lands to the north (known in ancient times as Sogdiana, in present-day Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) — was one consequence of the sojourn through Afghanistan by, whose army built fortresses and assigned Greek and Macedonian troops and all manner of support staff — from architects and doctors to administrators, artisans, tradesmen, even prostitutes — to remain behind in Bactria and begin to settle in that region during the late 4th century BC while Alexander continued his invasion east to India.For at least two centuries prior to Alexander's arrival in 330 BC, Bactria had been a prized part of the(559-330 BC) and, before that, the(728-559 BC).The wide fertile plains that stretched between the northern slopes of the Hindu Kush and the Oxus River during ancient times, the valuable Silk Road trading centers and rich gold, silver and lapis deposits in the nearby mountains made Bactria a highly prized(regional governorship) for the Achaemenid Persians.Among the Tribute Processions that survive along the eastern stairway of the Apadana Palace at Persepolis (early 5th century BC), the Bactrian procession is shown giving the emperor golden bowls as tribute. This is very different from the other processions from other provinces, which are shown paying tribute with hides, ceramic vessels or livestock.Since Greek prisoners captured in the many wars that took place between the Achaemenids and Greeks during the 5th and 4th centuries BC were often exiled to Bactria, the indigenous population of Bactria already included a high percentage of Greeks when Alexander's army arrived there in 329-328 BC.These battle-hardened Bactrian Greeks, frequently employed by the Acheamenids in major battles and conscripted by Alexander for his own campaigns in the East, formed the backbone of a force that dominated Bactria from the mid-3rd to the second half of the 2nd century BC.Under the leadership of Alexander's former soldiers and their descendents, the Bactrian Greeks created a Hellenic-inspired kingdom in the heart of Central Asia.The Greeks' capitol at(present-day Balkh) included a huge Seleucid-era fortress and Hellenistic-style architecture. Corinthian capitals that once adorned large multi-columned palaces, discovered at Balkh, date from this early period.Seizing an opportunity provided by thedynasty, which asserted nominal dominion over Bactria but was too distracted by wars in Egypt to defend its territories in the East, the Bactrian Greeks achieved independence under, the Seleucid satrap (regional governor) of Bactria.Diodotus renounced the Seleucid emperor Antiochus II in 256 BC and declared himself king after hearing that his ally, the Seleucid satrap of the province of Partahia (Parthia) had just done the same. Very soon, however, Andragoras was toppled by the Parthian chieftain, who established the Parthian Empire in Iran, which undermined Bactrian control of overland trade along the Silk Road and effectively cut off Greeks in Bactria from the Greek world in the Mediterranean.Diodotus was succeeded by his son Diodotus II, who was overthrown by the Seleucid satrap of Sogdia, a Greek named(ruled: 230-200/195 BC).Ancient sources tell us that after seizing the Graeco Bactrian throne, Euthydemus gathered a force of some 100,000 horsemen and engaged the mighty Seleucid army in northwestern Afghanistan. Retreating back to his fortress capital Bactra, Euthydemus survived a three-year-long siege (208-205 BC) mounted by the Seleucid emperor Antiochus III. Hostilities ended with a peace agreement that confirmed Graeco-Bactrian independence.The final years of Euthydemus's reign, circa 200–195 BC, roughly coincides with the beginning of the Bactrian invasion of India under his son and successor,. Still floundering in discord since the death of Ashoka the Great (ruled: 272-232 BC), India was a rich prize for the ambitious Bactrian Greeks.

















