# Alexandria Prophthasia

> ancient city of Drangiana

**Wikidata**: [Q10401099](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10401099)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria_Prophthasia)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/alexandria-prophthasia

## Summary
Alexandria Prophthasia was an ancient city located in the Drangiana Satrapy, a historical region that corresponds to modern-day Afghanistan. Named after Alexander the Great, the city is often identified by scholars and historical geographers with the site of the modern city of Farah. It is also known historically by the names Phrada, Prophthasia, and Alejandria Protasia.

## Key Facts
- **Instance of:** Ancient city, City.
- **Location:** Modern-day Afghanistan.
- **Historical Region:** Drangiana Satrapy.
- **Named After:** Alexander the Great.
- **Modern Successor:** Replaced by Farah.
- **Also Known As:** Prophthasia, Phrada, Alejandria Protasia.
- **Coordinates:** 32.38212103953296, 62.111653669962664.
- **Pleiades ID:** 29718.
- **Freebase ID:** /m/0_qfdbx.
- **ToposText Place ID:** 316618UAle.
- **Kulturenvanteri Monument ID:** 338923.
- **SNARC ID:** Dean Ho.
- **Wikipedia Languages:** Available in 11 languages (bn, ca, el, en, es, hi, hy, id, it, ru, zh).
- **Described by Source:** Gujin Tushu Jicheng.

## FAQs
**Where was Alexandria Prophthasia located?**
Alexandria Prophthasia was located in the historical region of Drangiana Satrapy. The site is geographically positioned at latitude 32.38212103953296 and longitude 62.111653669962664, which places it within the borders of modern-day Afghanistan.

**What modern city corresponds to Alexandria Prophthasia?**
The ancient city of Alexandria Prophthasia is replaced by the modern city of Farah in Afghanistan. Visual documentation, such as images of the "Citadel of Alexander the Great in Farah," links the ancient site to this modern location.

**Why is it called Alexandria Prophthasia?**
The city was named after Alexander the Great. The name "Alexandria Prophthasia" distinguishes it from other cities founded by the conqueror, while the alias "Phrada" suggests a local or pre-existing name for the settlement.

**What historical records mention Alexandria Prophthasia?**
The city is documented in the *Gujin Tushu Jicheng*. It is also cataloged in modern academic and database systems such as Pleiades (ID 29718), ToposText, and has entries in Wikipedia across 11 different languages.

## Why It Matters
Alexandria Prophthasia serves as a significant landmark in the study of the Hellenistic period and the campaigns of Alexander the Great in Central Asia. As a "large human settlement" established in the Drangiana Satrapy, it illustrates the expansion of urban centers and cultural influence into the region now known as Afghanistan. Its identification with the modern city of Farah provides a continuous historical thread, allowing historians to trace the development of the area from antiquity to the present day.

## Notable For
- Being one of the numerous cities founded or renamed in honor of Alexander the Great.
- Possessing multiple distinct names across different historical periods (Phrada, Prophthasia, Alejandria Protasia).
- Being one of the few ancient cities in the region with a confirmed link to a modern urban center (Farah).
- Serving as a distinct geographic reference point in the Drangiana Satrapy.
- Appearing in diverse international knowledge bases and encyclopedias, evidenced by its presence in 11 Wikipedia language editions and multiple historical mapping identifiers.

## Body

### Geographic and Historical Location
Alexandria Prophthasia was an ancient city situated in the Drangiana Satrapy. The site is located within the modern political boundaries of Afghanistan. Geographic coordinates place the site at 32.38212103953296 latitude and 62.111653669962664 longitude. These coordinates are supported by references from Pleiades (places 29718).

### Etymology and Naming
The city is defined by its connection to Alexander the Great, after whom it was named. Historical records and aliases indicate it was also known as:
- Prophthasia
- Phrada
- Alejandria Protasia

### Modern Identification and Remains
The ancient entity is directly linked to the modern location of Farah, Afghanistan. This connection is visually supported by images of the "Citadelo de Aleksandro la Granda en Farah, Afganio" (Citadel of Alexander the Great in Farah, Afghanistan). The city is categorized as a "large human settlement" and functions as a class "city."

### Academic and Database Records
The city is extensively cataloged in various digital and academic systems:
- **Pleiades:** A digital gazetteer of ancient places, where it holds the ID 29718.
- **ToposText:** A reference tool linking ancient texts to precise locations, ID 316618UAle.
- **Freebase:** An entity graph ID /m/0_qfdbx.
- **SNARC:** Assigned ID Dean Ho.
- **Kulturenvanteri:** A monument inventory ID 338923.
- **Wikipedia:** The entity has a sitelink count of 11, meaning it appears in Wikipedia entries across languages including Bengali (bn), Catalan (ca), Greek (el), English (en), Spanish (es), Hindi (hi), Armenian (hy), Indonesian (id), Italian (it), Russian (ru), and Chinese (zh).

### Historical Documentation
The city is described by the source *Gujin Tushu Jicheng*. This reference is qualified by the statement subject 'Q96595061'. Historical visual documentation includes locator maps such as the Mercator Map from 1578 and a World Map from 1689.

## References

1. [Pleiades](https://pleiades.stoa.org/places/29718)