Alexander in Bactra

[Jona Lendering]

This article deals with the French excavations of a site near Balkh that probably is the site of pre-Hellenistic Bactra. If the identification is correct, it is the place where Zarathustra was killed and Alexander married Rhoxane. Not results yet, but it is interesting - and it is reassuring that the site has not been abandoned.

[greekwarrior34]

Nice! And is it possible to know when did the excavation began? I used to think that any serious excavations in Bactria (or Indo-Greece) were never been done. I remember I had read it in wikipedia.

Anyway, I hope this is only the beginning. I'm sure awesome things would be found there.

[Sean Manning]

Ai Kanum (I don't remember its ancient name) and a few other sites have been thoroughly excavated. But is a big area, split among countries which are unstable and hard to get to these days.

Thanks for the link, Jona. I'm glad to see some good news coming from Afghanistan.

[Jona Lendering]

Nice! And is it possible to know when did the excavation began?

Pretty recently; the discovery was less than 35 months ago.

Ai Kanum (I don't remember its ancient name)

Alexandria on the Oxus.

[Timotheus]

This should be fascinating assuming that they can continue to work in the region.

This is not the neighborhood I would want to work in long term, which really sucks because what they could learn is something I really want to know. Especially since wht we know of Bactria is just so small, we really are to a large degree stuck with interpretations of coinage and not much else.