ABSTRACT
Afghan Bactria with the two large cities of Bactra and Ai Khanoum was the core of the Graeco-Bactrian kingdom and one of the wealthiest regions in Central Asia. A. Foucher, the first director, was given the task of excavating Bactra, regarded as the main centre of Greek power. His stay was difficult and the results unconvincing even if he reached Greek or Kushan layers in a deep sounding. When Alexander the Great crossed the Hindu Kush in the spring of 329 BC in pursuit of the satrap Bessos, he entered one of the richest regions of the Achaemenid Empire. The Achaemenid archives of Bactra reveal that it was firmly controlled, which is also confirmed by the most recent results of archaeology. For most scholars, Bactra retained the status it had during the Achaemenid period and became the main capital of the Seleukid and then Graeco-Bactrian kings.
