Alexander’s campaign, the Seleucids and Greco-Bactria

In 323 BCE Alexander the Great died in Babylon and his state split among his generals. In 312 BCE one of the generals, Seleucus, took power in Babylon and founded the Seleucid state; it included Mesopotamia, Iran, Parthia, Bactria, Sogdiana and Margiana. Seleucus divided Central Asia into satrapies, and his son Antiochus governed the eastern provinces. Peaceful life returned, and cities such as Bactra, Maracanda, Antiochia in Margiana (Merv) and Termez became major centres. Greek writing, measures and coins spread, and the Greeks adopted local building and craft traditions. About 250 BCE the governor of Bactria, Diodotus, proclaimed himself king and founded the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (Parthia also broke away at this time). It included Bactria, Sogdiana and Margiana. Under Demetrius the kingdom had its largest area and took part of India. Pressure from the Parthian king Mithridates I and internal wars weakened it; between 140 and 130 BCE nomadic Yuezhi tribes conquered Greco-Bactria.