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Just visit historyhit.com slash subscribe. 329 BC, the ancient land of Bactria, modern-day Afghanistan and Uzbekistan,

an incredibly affluent area of the ancient Middle East,

a real crossroads of Asia that connects east, west, north and south, home to verdant river valleys

full of fertile lands, surrounded by towering mountain ranges full of precious minerals, gold, silver, not to mention

the precious blue stone, that Egyptian pharaohs, Indian elites and Chinese emperors alike

have all sought for millennia, lapis lazuli. Bactria has a long and prestigious history.

Flowing through its heart was the mighty Oxus River, the Nile of Central Asia.

Dozens of prosperous centuries-old cities line the river and its many tributaries.

Their formidable walls are made of thick, unbaked mud brick, towering several

meters high. Their houses within are also made of this abundant mudbrick material. These cities

are home to large populations, sustained by the nearby nutrient-rich farmlands, irrigated

by the oxus along both of its banks.

No wonder Bactria became known as the land of a thousand cities.

The Oxus River has already witnessed many great armies crossing its waters.

Now, a new formidable force reaches its banks, tens of thousands

strong. Most of these soldiers are tired and a veteran, serving thousands of kilometers away

...