Samarkand is one of the most ancient world cities. It had a great advantage due to its location on the trade way between the Mediterranean and China (Silk Road). In certain periods of time Samarkand used to be among the Central Asia’s mightiest centers.
Early history
The Sogdians founded Samarkand around 700 BC. From the first days the city became a center of Iranian civilization. In 329 BC it was taken by Alexander the Great. Before that, during the reign of Achaemenid dynasty, Samarkand was the metropolis of the Sogdian satrapy. It was called Maracanda by the Greeks.
In the period between the decay of Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest, the region was not joined with Iran in a political way, though its population was speaking Persian. In the VI-th century it belonged to the realm of Turkic kingdom ruled by Gokturks.
