Bactria (Bactriana, also Bhalika in Indian languages) was the ancient Greek name of the country between the range of the Hindu Kush (Caucasus Indicus) and the Amu Darya (Oxus); its capital, Bactra (now Balkh), was located in what is now northern Afghanistan, southern Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

Bactria was bounded on the east by the ancient region of Gandhara in the Indian subcontinent. The Bactrian language is an Iranian language of the Indo-Iranian sub-family of the Indo-European family.

The Bactrians are one of the ancestral lines of the modern-day Tajiks of Central Asia as well as possibly the Pashtuns. Some historians believe that the modern name Tajik originated from Ta-Hsia, the ancient Chinese name for the region ephpscripte/admin/php//index.php/629" title="629">629-645).

See also

• Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex
• Bactrian Gold
• Bactrian Camel

Archaeological sites

• Termez region

Baktrien Bactriane Bactria Bactrië 大夏 Baktria Baktria Бактрия Бактрија Baktria Baktrien 大夏 (国家)