REGION

Balkh

Poet · Balkh, 1207–1273

Rumi

Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi was born in Balkh and carried its Persian literary world west to Konya, where his Masnavi became one of the…
Poet · Balkh, 10th century

Rabia Balkhi

Among the first women known to write poetry in New Persian, Rabia Balkhi is remembered in Balkh as a symbol of love, courage and…
c. 550–330 BCE

Achaemenid Empire

Bactria, Aria and Arachosia become provinces of the Persian empire, linked by royal roads and trade.
Northern Afghanistan

Mazar-e Sharif

The largest city of the north, centred on its blue-tiled shrine and home to the Nowruz festival.
Northern Afghanistan

Balkh

Called the “Mother of Cities”, Balkh was a centre of Bactria and later of Islamic scholarship.
History · 6 min

Walking the Old City of Balkh

The walls and shrines of the Mother of Cities.

Rumi