Look closely at this brick created ~ 300-250 BC & you can see Greek writing. It was found at Ai-Khanoum, on the Northern border of Afghanistan. Ai-Khanoum was a primary city of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (thread resulting from casual reading about this subject) @TimeTravelTalks

It reads:
“As children, learn good manners;
as young men learn to control the passions;
in middle age, be just;
in old age, give good advice;
then die, without regret."
According to another inscription, Clearchus of Soli copied the verse from Delphi and “set them up” there.

Ai-Khanoum was a primary city of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom centered around Northern Afghanistan, which broke from the Seleucid Empire that was established after the breakup of the Macedonian Empire when Alexander the Great died in 323 BCE.

Diodotus I Soter was a Seleucid satrap who established the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom around 255-245 BCE. This is a coin minted by the Greco-Bactrian/Indo-Greek king Agathocles (reigned ~ 190-180 BCE) depicting himself as Diodotus I to establish his pedigree.

So where did this Hellenistic influence in Afghanistan come from (my primary fascination?) There were Greeks in the area before Alexander III (aka ‘The Great’) arrived, but his conquest established their regional primacy. Another Agathocles pedigree coin, this time as Alexander.

Google maps is unable to create a route from Macedon to the Hyphasis (modern, Beas) River in India, so I created this image with an aviation app I use when I fly on fires. I swagged waypoints to mirror his route. The flight log shows 4000 nautical miles. One way!!

No time to splinter off on the branches of Hellenistic influence that lasted beyond the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom that started this thread, but it continued for centuries (perhaps historians will follow-up? @TimeTravelTalks) A 2nd century Indo-Greek seated Buddha.

This is one of the 6th-century Buddhas of Bamiyan, which shared styles with the Art of Gandhara (i.e. with Hellenistic influence.) In 2002 I landed about 100 meters away (alas, no camera). They were tragically destroyed, but still literally awe inspiring.

Ending this thread with a photograph I took in 2002 of a Buddhist stupa, (likely) created during the reign of the Kushan empire, which initially used the Greek language for administrative purposes. A personal reference to this amazing, culturally rich country.