Samangan Province - History

History

Further information: History of Afghanistan

The earliest known history of the province is linked to the identification of the Samangan by Aoros Ptolemy as the place of the Varni or Uarni and the fortified city of Samangan on the banks of the Khulm River identical to the Bhaktria regi on the Dargydus river south east of Zariaspa. The ruins found here establishe the city’s founding by Eukratides, the King of Bactria. It was then known as Edrisi the size of the Khulm city.

History of Afghanistan
Timeline
Ancient
Proto-Elamite civilization 2300–1800 BCE
Indus valley civilization 2200–1800 BCE
Oxus civilization 2100–1800 BCE
Aryans 1700–700 BCE
Median Empire 728–550 BCE
Achaemenids 550–330 BCE
Seleucids 330–150 BCE
Mauryans 305–180 BCE
Greco-Bactrians 256–125 BCE
Indo-Greeks 180–130 BCE
Indo-Scythians (Sakas) 155–80? BCE
Indo-Parthians 20 BCE – 50? CE
Kushans 135 BCE – 248 CE
Sassanids 230–565
Indo-Sassanids 248–410
Kidarites 320–465
Hephthalites 410–557
Kabul Shahi 565–879
Medieval
Rashidun Caliphate 642–641
Umayyads 661–750
Abbasids 750–821
Tahirids 821–873
Saffarids 863–900
Samanids 875–999
Ghaznavids 963–1187
Seljukids 1037–1194
Khwarezmids 1077–1231
Ghorids 1149–1212
Ilkhanate 1258–1353
Kartids 1245–1381
Timurids 1370–1506
Arghun 1479–1522
Mughals 1501–1738
Safavids 1510–1709
Modern
Hotaki dynasty 1709–1738
Afsharids 1738–1747
Durrani Empire 1747–1826
Emirate 1826–1919
Kingdom 1919–1973
Republic 1973–1978
Democratic Republic 1978–1992
Islamic State 1992–2001
Islamic Emirate 1996–2001
Islamic Republic 2001–
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Historicity of the Samangan town dates to the time of the Kushan Empire during the 4th and 5th centuries when it was a famous Buddhist centre. Witness to this period is seen now in the form of ruins at a place called the Takht-e-Rostam, which is located 3 km from the town on a hilltop. Arabs and Mongols came to this place when it was already famous as a Buddhist religious centre. Aibak was the name given to this place when, during the medieval period, caravans used to stop here.

Afghanistan has various archaeological sites where caves were hewn out of rocks and inhabited by Buddhists. "One of the most spectacular sites is that of Takth i Raustam, near Samangan (Haybak), north of Hindu Kush passes. It includes a complex of stupa with monastery, hewn out of the rock. Other caves have been found near Jalalabad and at the site of Humay Qal'a southwest of Ghazni.

The Buddhist in Takth i Raustam here in the form of a mound, located on the hilltop, represents the earliest link to the evolution of Buddhist architecture in Afghanistan

The area was conquered by the Hephthalites followed by the Saffarids who brought Islam. The Samanids took it and controlled it until the Ghaznavids rose to power in the 10th century, they were replaced by the Ghorids. After the Mongol invasion the Timurids took possession.

Between the early 16th century and the mid-18th century, the territory was ruled by the Khanate of Bukhara. It was given to Ahmad Shah Durrani by Murad Beg of Bukhara after a treaty of friendship was reached in or about 1750, and became part of the Durrani Empire. It was ruled by the Durranis followed by the Barakzai dynasty, and was untouched by the British during the three Anglo-Afghan wars that were fought in the 19th and 20th centuries. It remained peaceful for about one hundred years until the 1980s Soviet war in Afghanistan.

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