Bactra
/ˈbæk.trə/noun
Bactra was the ancient capital of Bactria, located near modern Balkh in northern Afghanistan.
Did you know?Bactra is closely associated with ancient Bactria, the region where Alexander the Great encountered Roxana and where Zoroastrian traditions placed important sacred associations.
Etymological Timeline
Late 1st millennium BCE
Avestan
Bāxδi
“The Avestan name for Bactria, the eastern Iranian land and cultural region.”
Achaemenid period
Old Persian
Bāxtriš
“The Old Persian form referring to Bactria, an eastern province of the Persian Empire.”
4th century BCE
Ancient Greek
Βάκτρα (Baktra)
“Greek name for the principal city of Bactria.”
1st century BCE–1st century CE
Latin
Bactra
“Latin form of the city’s name, used by Roman writers and geographers.”
Medieval period
Persian
Balkh
“The later Persian name of the ancient city, which became a major intellectual and religious center.”
Modern English
English
Bactra
“A historical name for the ancient city near modern Balkh, Afghanistan.”