Old Kandahar (locally known as Zorr Shaar) was originally laid out by Alexander the Great in 330 BCE under the name Alexandria Arachosia. It served as the local seat of power for many rulers in the last 2,000 years, becoming part of many empires, including the Mauryans (322 BCE ??185 BCE), Indo-Scythians (200 BCE ??400 CE), Sassanids, Arabs, Zunbils, Saffarids, Ghaznavids, Ghorids, Timurids, Mughals, Safavids, and others.