Sogdian city-states
The Sogdian city-states refers to a number of independent or autonomous city-states in Iranian region of Sogdia in the late antiquity and medieval times. Most of the city-states were ruled by a king or queen, who was called "first among equals". However, the succession of rule was not stable, and the people could influence who would become the new ruler. The period, which experienced its peak in the 7th century, ended with the conquest of Transoxiana by the Islamic Caliphate.
Bukhara and Samarkand – the famous cities of Persian literature – were the largest and wealthiest Sogdian states.
