[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [General history and culture](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general) › [The Greeks in Bactria and India](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.tarn-1938) › c10.s5.63 # The Greeks in Bactria and India c10.s5.63 The Greeks in Bactria and India c10.s5.63 - **Language:** English ### [c10.s5.63](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.tarn-1938.c10.s5.63) ⁵ Hirth p. 97 §34, An-si is ‘close to the Oxus’ (‘extends to the Oxus’, Wylie p. 39; ‘lies on the Oxus’, de Groot p. 93); this can only mean that Merv was already Parthian. Whether the name An-si itself be Antioch (Merv), or (spelling it An-sik) Arsak, has been much discussed. All the countries in the Report are names of peoples, and there is therefore no reason for supposing that in one case a king’s name was used, especially as the Report knows nothing of the Parthians proper, the aristocracy; but it has not been noticed that the \*Ch’ien-han-shu\* is conclusive in favour of Antioch. It says that to reach An-si from O-ik-san-li (Seistan, see p. 347) you go north and then somewhat east (de Groot p. 92), which exactly describes the great road from Seistan by Herat to Merv; to Pan-ku therefore An-si was originally Antioch-Merv, Parthia being a derivative meaning. This is confirmed by Merv (Mou-lou) being called Little An-si in the \*Hou-han-shu\* (Chavannes, \*T’oung Pao\* VIII p. 177). - [Previous: c10.s5.62](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.tarn-1938.c10.s5.62) - [Next: c10.s5.64](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.tarn-1938.c10.s5.64) - [Up: c10.s5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.tarn-1938.c10.s5) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.tarn-1938.c10.s5.63](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.tarn-1938.c10.s5.63) · Pramāṇa