Alexandria in the Caucasus

Founded by Alexander the Great in 329 BC near modern Begram, 65 km north of Kabul, Alexandria in the Caucasus served as a strategic base for crossing the Hindu Kush. The garrison was settled with about 4,000 local inhabitants and 3,000 Macedonian veterans. It later became a capital of the Indo-Greek kings and housed a thriving Buddhist community under Menander I. Archaeological finds include carved ivory plaques, Buddha statues, and Greek-style busts.