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Tajikistan Pre Islamic Period implies the time span between the 600 BC up to 651 AD. In fact, the Pre Islamic Period of Tajikistan is divided into Achaemenid Period, Hellenistic Period, Kushan Empire, The Hephthalites and the Gortuk Rule.
The first period of the Pre Islamic Period in Tajikistan, is the the Archaemenid period, which ranges from 550 BC to 329 BC. During this period, Sogdiana comprised one of the provinces of the Persian Empire.
Talking about the Hellenistic Period of the Pre Islamic Period at Tajikistan, it can be said that after the defeat of the Persians at the hands of Alexander, a new era under the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom began. The Greco-Bactrian kingdom, according to the Tajikistan Pre Islamic Period, ruled over Tajikistan for about 200 hundred years.
Although, Alexander was a powerful king, who is known in history for his undaunted valor and strength. Yet, he could not have held the power of Tajikistan till eternity. Thus, after the Greco-Bactrians, we find the emergence of the Kushan Empire in the history of the Pre Islamic Period at Tajikistan.
The Kushan kingdom was established in Tajikistan in the 1st century AD. It is said that under the Kushan kingdom, Tajikistan saw the emergence of trade and commerce, along with the growth of agriculture. Tajikistan seems to have flourished greatly under the Kushanas.
In the 5th and the 6th century AD, Tajikistan saw the emergence of many nomadic tribes, as well as the Chionites and the Ephthalites.
Towards the end of the 6th century AD, the Ephthalites lost control over Tajikistan, and the Eastern Turkic Kaganate emerged in the political scenario of Tajikistan. Finally, with the rise of the Arabs, Tajikistan went under the domain of an Islamic Empire.
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