CENTRAL
ASIA AND INDIA
Map
of Central Asia & India c.700 BC :
![](Map_Bactria-&-India-700BC_big.jpg)
Following
the climate-change-induced collapse of indigenous civilisations
and cultures in Iran and Central Asia (not to mention Mesopotamia
and Egypt) between about 2200-1700 BC, Indo-Iranian groups gradually
migrated southwards from the Aral Sea and Syr Darya, with their
offshoot, the Indo-Aryans, entering India (shown by the green diagonal
stripes).
By
the first millennium BC the Indo-Iranians had created a poorly-attested
'land of Tur' (roughly outlined by the yellow stripes) and a great
region (still vaguely-attested) known as Ariana (white), while in
Iran the Parsua were in the process of forming a kingdom which would
eventually subsume both (lime green).
Their
main opponent in the east, the kingdom of Turan, appears to have
been focussed around Bactria and Margiana, and perhaps extending
to the Elborz Mountains of the southern Caspian coastline. In India
the dominant kingdom was Magadha, with a series of border kingdoms
formed along its eastern flank.
Map of Central
Asia & Eastern Mediterranean 334-323 BC :
![](Map_Bactria-&-India-334-324BC_big.jpg)
Alexander's
campaigns which led him to the furthest reaches of Central Asia
started off in Greece in 334 BC. His route can be followed here,
starting from Pella, and using a different colour for each year
of his travels, progressing through red, orange-red, mid-orange,
light orange, yellow, lime, light green, cyan, and light blue, with
the route ending at Susa in 324 BC.
Following
Alexander's early death his empire broke up into several Hellenic
sections which maintained Greek cultural influence across a great
span of the ancient world for several centuries. Alexander's immediate
successors held no real power, being mere figureheads for the generals
who really held control of Alexander's empire.