In the history of the ancient world, Bactria is
somewhat of an anomaly: a Greek kingdom
located in modern Afghanistan. When Alexander
the Great conquered the Persian Empire, he
acquired all its outlying provinces including
Bactria. Greek forces then established and
maintained control in Bactria. After Alexander’s
death, his kingdom was divided among his
generals and Bactria became part of the eastern
section, ruled by the Seleucid Dynasty. There
was extensive immigration of Greeks who found
several cities based on the Greek model
complete with gymnasiums and amphitheatres.
Later, the Greco-Bactria Kingdom asserted its
independence and quickly expanded its holdings
to the upper reaches of the Indus River Valley.
The Greek Kingdom in Bactria lasted for another
two centuries, until it was finally overwhelmed
by nomadic tribesmen invading from the central
Asian steppes.
Unfortunately, few traces of the Bactrian
Kingdom remain. Unlike other ancient
civilizations that left behind monumental ruins,
our knowledge of the Bactrian Kingdom is based
upon ancient historical texts reinforced by the
few archaeological artifacts that have survived.
Yet while we cannot stroll down colonnaded
avenues or climb mountainous pyramids and
envision what life might have been like, this
large silver vessel gives us a tantalizing taste of
the opulence of this ancient Kingdom. Holding
this delicately hammered bowl, we are
transported back in time to a royal banquet
where a salad or soup might have been prepared
and presented for serving. The inherent wealth
of this bowl suggests that it was a treasure
reserved for the possession of the ruling elite.
This bowl was likely forged by either a Greek
immigrant silversmith working the region or a
local metalworker who absorbed the stylistic
lesson of Greek examples. While modern day
tourists flock to the ruins of more celebrated
ancient cultures, perhaps no other ancient
kingdom is quite so intriguing and yet so little
understood as Bactria. In this land where kings
once ruled over two thousand years ago, the East
and West merged together, combining the best
aspects of both cultures in luxurious splendor
that is Bactria.
- (PF.5879)
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