Bactria is a region that straddles modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and a small part of Turkmenistan, located between the mountains of the l'Hindū Kūsh and the Amu Darya river. It is a state that was founded around the city of Bactra, which was its administrative capital as well as the centre of power. It was much larger formerly. Its limits were ; to the east, Scythia Extra Imaum ; to the west, Hyrcania, and included, between these regions, Margu, Ghurian, Bubacene, the land of the Tokhariens. At one time, Bactria was extremely isolated, the centre of a powerful and highly civilised empire. It was inhabited from the Bronze Age on, and was famous in Antiquity for its mineral wealth and agricultural prosperity. It was seen as a paradise with unlimited resources, enabling an enormous accumulation of wealth, mainly from nomadic peoples, which resulted in the great conquerors constantly trying to seize it.