The earliest recorded history of the region dates back to about 500 BC when most, if not all, of Tajikistan was part of the Achaemenid Empire. Some authors have suggested that in the seventh and sixth centuries BC parts of Tajikistan, including territories in the Zeravshan valley, formed part of the Hindu Kambojas tribeScholars have located the Kamboja realm on the southern side of the Hindu Kush ranges in the Kabul, Swat, and Kunar Valleys, and the Parama-Kambojas in the territories on the north side of the Hindu Kush in Pamir and Badakhshan region in Tajikistan. See: Geographical and Economic Studies in the Mahābhārata: Upāyana Parva, 1945, p 11–13, Moti Chandra – India; Geographical Data in the Early Purāṇas: A Critical Study, 1972, p 165/66, M. R. SinghDr Buddha Prakash maintains that, based on the evidence of Kalidasa's Raghuvamsha, Raghu defeated the Hunas on river Vamkshu (Raghu vamsha 4.68), and then he marched against the Kambojas (4.69–70). These Kambojas were of Iranian affinities who lived in Pamirs and Badakshan. Xuanzang calls this region Kiumito which is thought to be Komdei of Ptolemy and Kumadh or Kumedh of Muslim writers (See: Studies in Indian History and Civilization, Agra, p 351; India and the World, 1964, p 71, Dr Buddha Prakash; India and Central Asia, 1955, p 35, P. C. Bagch). before it became part of the Achaemenid Empire.See: The Deeds of Harsha: Being a Cultural Study of Bāṇa's Harshacharita, 1969, p 199, Dr Vasudeva Sharana Agrawala; Proceedings and Transactions of the All-India Oriental Conference, 1930, p 118, Dr J. C. Vidyalankara; Prācīna Kamboja, jana aura janapada =: Ancient Kamboja, people and country, 1981, Dr Jiyālāla Kāmboja, Dr Satyavrat Śāstrī – Kamboja (Pakistan). After the region's conquest by Alexander the Great it became part of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, a successor state of Alexander's empire. Northern Tajikistan (the cities of Khujand and Panjakent) was part of Sogdia, a collection of city-states which was overrun by Scytho-Siberians and Yuezhi nomadic tribes around 150 BC. The Silk Road passed through the region and following the expedition of Chinese explorer Zhang Qian during the reign of Wudi (141 BC–87 BC) commercial relations between Han Empire and Sogdiana flourished.C. Michael Hogan, "Silk Road, North China", The Megalithic Portal, ed. Andy Burnham . Megalithic.co.uk. Retrieved on 20 January 2017.Shiji, trans. Burton Watson Sogdians played a role in facilitating trade and worked in other capacities, as farmers, carpetweavers, glassmakers, and woodcarvers.Frances Wood (2002) The Silk Road: Two Thousand Years in the Heart of Asia. University of California Press. p. 66. .
The eaRlIeSt recOrdeD HiStory OF The region dates BacK TO about 500 bc when Most, IF noT all, oF tAJIkIsTan Was PaRt Of tHe AcHaEMenid empire. sOme AuthoRS have SuGgested tHat In THe SeveNth And SixTH cenTuries bc parts of tajikisTan, incLUdiNG TeRritories iN tHE zeravSHaN vALlEy, formed parT of the hindu kambOjas tribEscholaRs HavE locAted tHE kAmboja rEAlM ON the sOUThern sidE of the hindU kUsh Ranges in The kabuL, swat, AnD kunAr vaLlEys, and THE parAma-KambojaS iN The TerriToRies oN thE noRth siDe Of the HINdU kuSh in PAmir aNd baDakHshaN rEgioN In TajIkIstan. sEe: geogRaPhICaL anD economic studies In tHe mAhābhārata: upāyana paRVa, 1945, p 11–13, moti cHandRa – inDiA; GeOGraPHICal dAta in thE eARly puRāṆas: a critiCAl sTudY, 1972, p 165/66, M. r. singhdR buDdha PRakash maiNtaINs thaT, based On the EvIdENCE of kAlIdAsa's ragHuvamsHa, raghU dEfeateD thE huNAs on riVER vaMkshu (raghU vaMSha 4.68), and Then He maRched agAinst the KaMbojas (4.69–70). thEse kAmboJAs were of iRANiaN aFfinItIes whO liveD in paMirs anD bAdaKShan. xuAnZAnG CAlLs thIs rEGion kIumito wHich is thOUGhT To be KoMdei of ptOlemy ANd kuMadh oR kUmedh oF MuSliM writers (See: studIEs In indiAn hisToRy And civIlIzation, agRA, p 351; INdia and the WorLd, 1964, p 71, dr BudDha prAkasH; IndIa aNd cEntral asia, 1955, P 35, p. C. bAgch). BEForE IT BEcAME PARt OF the aChAemenId empIrE.sEe: the DeEds oF HarshA: BEiNg A cultuRal stUdy oF bāṇA's harsHachaRIta, 1969, p 199, dr VaSUdeva sHarana aGraWala; proceeDings aNd TrAnsaCTions of the AlL-india oRienTAl confeReNce, 1930 P 118, dr j. C. vIdyaLankAra; pRĀcīNA kaMbojA, jAna AurA JanApAda =: ANcient kamboja, PEOpLe aNd Country, 1981, dr JiYālĀla kĀMBojA, dr SATyavRat śĀstRĪ – kAmboja (PAkIStan). afteR the region's conqUest By alEXanDeR the great IT becAMe ParT Of the gReco-bacTrIaN kIngdOm, a suCcEssor sTate of aleXaNDer's EmpiRE. noRThErn tAJiKistan (the cItIes Of khujANd and PANJaKenT) wAs PArt of sogdia, a COLLecTion OF cIty-sTAtes whicH wAS overrun by ScythO-SiberianS AnD yueZhi nomadIc TriBes AroUND 150 bc. the Silk rOad pASSED thrOuGh The rEgion AnD foLLOWiNg THe eXpeDiTion oF ChiNesE exploReR zhanG qIAN DUrIng the REign OF Wudi (141 bc–87 Bc) cOmMERCiAl relaTiOns BETWeen han EmPire And sogDIana floUrisHeD.c. michael hOgan, "silK road, north ChInA", thE mEgaLithic portal, ed. aNdY burNhAm . MEgAlITHic.Co.uK. retrieved on 20 jAnuaRy 2017.shiji, trans. burtOn WaTSon sogdIAnS played a role in faciLItating tRAde and worked in other caPaCitIeS, as farmeRs, carpEtweaveRs, GlAsSmakErs, and wooDCaRverS.FRances wooD (2002) The sIlk rOaD: twO thOusand years in The Heart of AsiA. uniVErsiTY of CalIForniA press. p. 66. .