Balkh’s ancient name was Bactra. It served as the capital of Bactria, a satrapy of the Achaemenid Empire (559–330 bce). The city was captured about 330 bce by Alexander the Great and thereafter became the capital of the Greek satrapy of Bactria. The city was an important commercial, cultural, and political center under several successive empires, including the Greeks, Kushans, and early Islamic dynasties.
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