Greco-Bactria:Features: Difference between revisions

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== Bactria ==

* Bactria is essentially a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bactria large east-west valley], situated between the Fann mountains to the north and the Hindu Kush mountains to the south.

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* The land of Bactria is of [http://www.livius.org/articles/place/bactria/ three types], layered as east-west strips on top of each, starting from the south:

** Rolling hills (and the Hindu Kush mountains south of that)

** Alluvial plains (with ~~occasional~~ flooding) that produce abundant crops

** Alluvial plains (with annual flooding) that produce abundant crops

** Desert (with occasional oases) just south of the river Oxus

* Sometimes Bactria refers to just this valley, other times it refers to the area that also includes the Hindu Kush mountains (such as at the time of Alexander's death), and other teams it includes both Bactria and Sogdia.

* Around BC 250 Bactria is said to have 1000 cities (somewhat of an exaggeration...)

** "Diodotus, the governor of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Bactrian_Kingdom thousand cities] of Bactria (Latin: Theodotus, mille urbium Bactrianarum praefectus)".

* The climate is considered to be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-arid_climate#Cold_semi-arid_climates cold semi-arid] steppe, "BSk" classification.

** In other words it evaporates more water than it rains.

* Temperature:

** In the valley, for example around the capital city of Bactria, the [https://en.climate-data.org/location/31385/ temperature ranges] from 32 F to 98 F (0 C to 36 C).

** It can have extreme temperatures [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazar-i-Sharif#Climate as low as -22 C], and hence would be in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardiness_zone Hardiness Zone 6] in the USDA scale.

* Precipitation:

** ~~In the valley there~~ is no [https://en.climate-data.org/location/31385/ precipitation] for ~~about half the year~~, and then averages about 30 mm from January to April.

** There is no [https://en.climate-data.org/location/31385/ precipitation] at all for several months, and then it averages about 30 mm from January to April (which is still not much!).

* Topographic Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Balkh,+Afghanistan/@36.5825708,66.9330108,13.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x38cb52c3b19e9359:0x79479ff9f1496592!8m2!3d36.8909158!4d67.1894488!5m1!1e4

** In total there is about 176 mm of rain per year.

:[[File:Bactria-Precipitation.png]]

* The climate is considered to be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-arid_climate#Cold_semi-arid_climates cold semi-arid] steppe, "BSk" classification.

** In other words it evaporates more water than it rains.

** Notice the near total lack of vegetation, especially in the southern mountains.

*Topographic Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Balkh,+Afghanistan/@36.5825708,66.9330108,13.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x38cb52c3b19e9359:0x79479ff9f1496592!8m2!3d36.8909158!4d67.1894488!5m1!1e4

:[[File:Bactria-Topographic-Map.png|400px]]

==Sogdia==

==Sogdia (or Sogdiana)==

* Sogdia (acquired 5 years later when Alexander dies) is ... TBD

*Sogdia (acquired 5 years later when Alexander dies) is ... TBD

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Greco-Bactria}}
+[[File:Bactria-Sogdia.png|thumb|400x383px|At the time of the division of Alexander's empire.]][[File:BactriaMap.jpg|thumb|400x302px|At a later date.]]
 == Bactria ==
 * Bactria is essentially a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bactria large east-west valley], situated between the Fann mountains to the north and the Hindu Kush mountains to the south.
@@ Line 5: / Line 7: @@
 * The land of Bactria is of [http://www.livius.org/articles/place/bactria/ three types], layered as east-west strips on top of each, starting from the south:
 ** Rolling hills (and the Hindu Kush mountains south of that)
-** Alluvial plains (with occasional flooding) that produce abundant crops
+** Alluvial plains (with annual flooding) that produce abundant crops
 ** Desert (with occasional oases) just south of the river Oxus
 * Sometimes Bactria refers to just this valley, other times it refers to the area that also includes the Hindu Kush mountains (such as at the time of Alexander's death), and other teams it includes both Bactria and Sogdia.
 * Around BC 250 Bactria is said to have 1000 cities (somewhat of an exaggeration...)
 ** "Diodotus, the governor of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Bactrian_Kingdom thousand cities] of Bactria (Latin: Theodotus, mille urbium Bactrianarum praefectus)".
-* The climate is considered to be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-arid_climate#Cold_semi-arid_climates cold semi-arid] steppe, "BSk" classification.
-** In other words it evaporates more water than it rains.
 * Temperature:
 ** In the valley, for example around the capital city of Bactria, the [https://en.climate-data.org/location/31385/ temperature ranges] from 32 F to 98 F (0 C to 36 C).
 ** It can have extreme temperatures [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazar-i-Sharif#Climate as low as -22 C], and hence would be in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardiness_zone Hardiness Zone 6] in the USDA scale.
 * Precipitation:
-** In the valley there is no [https://en.climate-data.org/location/31385/ precipitation] for about half the year, and then averages about 30 mm from January to April.
+** There is no [https://en.climate-data.org/location/31385/ precipitation] at all for several months, and then it averages about 30 mm from January to April (which is still not much!).
-* Topographic Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Balkh,+Afghanistan/@36.5825708,66.9330108,13.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x38cb52c3b19e9359:0x79479ff9f1496592!8m2!3d36.8909158!4d67.1894488!5m1!1e4
+** In total there is about 176 mm of rain per year.
+:[[File:Bactria-Precipitation.png]]
+* The climate is considered to be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-arid_climate#Cold_semi-arid_climates cold semi-arid] steppe, "BSk" classification.
+** In other words it evaporates more water than it rains.
+** Notice the near total lack of vegetation, especially in the southern mountains.
+*Topographic Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Balkh,+Afghanistan/@36.5825708,66.9330108,13.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x38cb52c3b19e9359:0x79479ff9f1496592!8m2!3d36.8909158!4d67.1894488!5m1!1e4
+:[[File:Bactria-Topographic-Map.png|400px]]
-==Sogdia==
+==Sogdia (or Sogdiana)==
-* Sogdia (acquired 5 years later when Alexander dies) is ... TBD
+*Sogdia (acquired 5 years later when Alexander dies) is ... TBD