Aï Khanum

The city of Aï Khanum ("Lady Moon" in the local language) was founded in 300 BC by one of the followers of Alexander the Great, who conquered the region in the fourth century BC. Aï Khanum developed into a cultural hub where Greek art merged with Indian and local artistic traditions, resulting in a distinctive Greco-Bactrian style. The city flourished until c.145 BC when it was invaded and pillaged by nomadic peoples from the northern Eurasian steppes.