Mouseion in Ai-Khanoum in Hellenistic culture

This article is dedicated to the culture of the Hellenistic Bactria (III-II centuries BC). Archeological researches of the second half of the XX century added our knowledge by outstanding discoveries in Ai-Khanoum, probably, in Alexandria on the Oxus. Among them the important role takes place architectural complexes of the palace with library, theatre, gymnasium, typical Greek temples (peripteros-mausoleum and Cineas’ temenos). Sculptural portraits of athletes, their teachers and Heracles in the heroic manner were found there. The inscriptional sources are the epigraphic documents: the Delphic maxims and the dedicational inscription with Clearchus’ and Cineas’ names. The first one, probably, was the Academy and the Lyceum scholar who had copied these texts and brought them to Bactria. The second person was the founder of the city, and these inscriptions were written in his temple. The imprint of papyrus with philosophical text was found in the Ai-Khanoum library. All these sources help us to suppose, that on the banks of the Oxus (Amu Darya) in the city called Alexandria was the Mouseion, the educational and scientific center. There were gymnastic and arts competitions in this city. The reign supported these events, which attracted colonists from the Eastern Mediterranean, raised the cult and the authority of kings among local citizens of the Iranian and of the Greek origin.