Merv: History, Former Names & Timeline
Great oasis city of Khorasan and capital of the Seljuks, perhaps among the largest cities in the world in the twelfth century, destroyed by the Mongols in 1221.
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Former names of Merv
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 500 BC | Merv | |
| 280 BC | Antiochia Margiana | |
| AD 651 | Merv |
Timeline of Merv
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 280 BC | Antiochus I refounds the city as Antiochia Margiana (about this date) |
| AD 651 | The last Sasanian king, Yazdegerd III, is killed near Merv |
| AD 747 | Abu Muslim raises the Abbasid revolt at Merv |
| 1037 | The Seljuks take Merv |
| 1221 | Mongols under Tolui destroy the city |
Who ruled Merv
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–324 BC | Achaemenid Empire |
| 323 BC–301 BC | Empire of Alexander |
| 300 BC–201 BC | Seleucid Kingdom |
| 200 BC–101 BC | Bactria |
| 100 BC–2 BC | Kushan Empire |
| 1 BC–499 | Unclaimed / no data |
| 500–699 | Sasanian Empire |
| 700–799 | Umayyad Caliphate |
| 800–899 | Abbasid Caliphate |
| 900–999 | Samanid Empire |
| 1000–1299 | Ghaznavid Emirate |
| 1300–1399 | Ilkhanate |
| 1400–1491 | Timurid Empire |
| 1492–1599 | Timurid Emirates |
| 1600–1782 | Safavid Empire |
| 1783–1814 | Afghanistan |
| 1815–1879 | Turan |
| 1880–1899 | Bokhara Khanate |
| 1900–1913 | central Asian khanates |
| 1914–1919 | Russian Empire |
| 1920–1929 | USSR |
| 1930–1937 | White Russia |
| 1938–1993 | USSR |
| 1994–today | Turkmenistan |
Nearby cities
Further reading
Questions about Merv
What was Merv called in the past?
Merv has been known as Antiochia Margiana (from 280 BC). Its present name dates from AD 651.
Which states have ruled Merv?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Merv lies within 22 different states: Achaemenid Empire, Empire of Alexander, Seleucid Kingdom, Bactria, Kushan Empire, Sasanian Empire, Umayyad Caliphate, Abbasid Caliphate, Samanid Empire, Ghaznavid Emirate and others.
What are the key dates in the history of Merv?
280 BC: Antiochus I refounds the city as Antiochia Margiana (about this date). AD 651: The last Sasanian king, Yazdegerd III, is killed near Merv. AD 747: Abu Muslim raises the Abbasid revolt at Merv. 1037: The Seljuks take Merv. 1221: Mongols under Tolui destroy the city.
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.