Lahore has been the Capital city of Punjab for centuries. As one of the ancient cities of the Punjab region, it has since its creation changed hands from Hindu, Buddhist, Greek, Muslim, Sikh and British rule to becoming the cultural capital and the heart of modern-day Pakistan. Origin of Lahore Name Ptolemy, the 2nd-century Greek astronomer from Egypt mentions in his Geographia, a city called Labokla being somewhere between the Indus River and Palibothra, (Patna). It was described as extending along the rivers Bidastes or Vitasta (Jhelum), Sandabal or Chandra Bhaga (Chenab), and Adris or Iravati (Ravi). Greek Map - Pentopotamia The oldest authentic mention of Lahore appears in Hudud-i-Alam (The Regions of the World) written in 982. In this document, Lahore is mentioned as a city inhabited by infidels having "impressive temples, large markets and huge orchards." It refers to "two major markets around which dwellings exist," and it also mentions "the