Global Political Review (GPR) URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gpr.2017(II-I).05 Afghanistan in the Historical Perspective Huma Qayum * Afghanistan is having a very long historical background. It dates back to 1500 BC when Islam was far away from this region. Different dynasties established their foundations and were ruined away. The paper brings into light major common factors among Pakistan and Afghanistan. It l highlights the past of Afghanistan before the Islamic period and after the arrival of Islam in this region. Especially the historical background which is totally the same among the two states. Similarly, rulers consolidated their empire from Afghanistan to India. The paper also elaborates different dynasties and how residents of the concerned area faced such aggressions with though resistance. Who never surrendered against any foreign rule and gained independence as a sovereign state. It still survives to face superpowers’ rivalry that affect the very foundations of Indo- Afghan states. Zahir Shah † Jan Alam ‡ • Vol. II, No. I (2017) • Pages: 46 – 53 • DOI: 10.31703/gpr.2017(II-I).05 • p- ISSN: 2521-2982 • ISSN-L: 2521-2982 Key Words: Pre-Islamic period, Post-Islamic period, historical background, Muslim rulers Introduction The Kabul city established in (1500 BC-551) Aryans and the Medes rule. Rig Veda may have been created in Afghanistan around this period, as well as a sign of the initial wandering Iron age. Amid 2000-1200 BC, a group of tribes of Indo-European linguistic identified as Aryan started migration into this area. They split into three diverse groups Iranic peoples, Nuristani, and Indo-Aryans in the early phase, probably during 1500-1000 BC in what today is called Afghanistan (Dupree, 1977). Origin of a new religion in Northern Afghanistan, the city of Bactria (Balkh) was home-based of Zarathustra founder of the Zoroastrian religion. This religion spread on the tremendous speed and became one of the most influential religions of the world at that time old Aryans followed this religion for centuries. In 550 BC Persian had replaced Median rule within their sphere and even enlarge to past Median imperial boundaries (Jayaram V, 2010). Bactria troops not ever fought against the advancing armies of Alexandra the great in 330 BC and decisively defeated and withdrew from an army of Greco-Macedonian (Politics, 2011). Alexander began his invasion of East in 334 B.C and attacked the Persian empire. A severe battle took place with Darius-ll, king of Persia in which Darius was defeated. Alexander turned towards Southward and occupied Khorasan, Sistan, Baluchistan, and Kandahar. Established a city of Alexandria, nowadays know this city as Kandahar. Then from Bactria, he crosses the threshold of Hindu Kush followed the Kabul river and entered India in 327 BC. During his expedition, faced tough resistance from the local tribes, no one submitted him without a firm struggle (Ghani, 1987). In 323 BC, soon after his death, Seleucus, the clever chief officer of Alexander took minimal control of Eastern Afghanistan and founded the Seleucid dynasty. Seleucus entered India, at that time found Punjab totally different. Seleucus faced though resistance from the long-awaited army of Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the Maurya Empire. In which Gupta well, * PhD Political Science and Visiting lecturer at the Department of Politics and IR, International Islamic University Islamabad, Pakistan. Email: humamdn@gmail.com † Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, KP, Pakistan. ‡ Research Scholar, Department of Political Science, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, KP, Pakistan. Abstract