From Persepolis to the Punjab

The phrase 'from Persepolis to the Punjab' refers to the vast Iranian empires of the Achaemenids (550-331 BC), Parthians (238 BC-AD 224) and the Sasanians (AD 224-651), which extended eastwards through Afghanistan to the north-western borderlands of the Indian subcontinent. The interest of 19th-century European powers in this region has been called 'the Great Game' and its effects are explored in this book, which is based on contributions to a study day and conference held in the British Museum, supplemented with additional material.