The Kushan Empire

EMPIRES OF FAITH HIST 1301 | History The Kushan Empire The Kushan Empire thrived from the second century BCE to the third century CE and was situated in northwest India. The Yuezhi people were once a polity made up of various nomadic tribes that united to form the empire. Gradually annexing land from the Parthian empire in the east, this kingdom was eventually dubbed Kushan after its ruling dynasty. The Kushans migrated southward at some point in the first century BCE, founding the twin capital cities of Kapisa and Pushklavati close to the present-day towns of Kabul and Peshawar. The Kushan Empire peaked in size and cultural impact during the reign of Emperor Kanishka, who controlled the empire around the middle of the second century CE (precise dates are unknown). Through military conquests, Kanishka expanded Kushan's realm into central China and northern India. Eventually, the empire encompassed portions of northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. The Gandhara area of Kushan was home to a particularly lively civilization whose influence stretched across the Indus River into the rest of Kushan, situated at the confluence of numerous rivers in a valley plain. The Gandharan people created a distinct creative style that combined aspects of Greco-Roman art with a concentration on Buddhist themes. The inhabitants of the area also benefited from this merging of cultures; following several invasions prior to the Kushan Empire, the Gandharan people claimed ancestry from the Parthians, Indian peoples, and Macedonian Greeks of Alexander's day. Serving as the conduit between China's economic partners and the Roman Empire, Kushan was an important stop on the Silk Roads. Roman coinage discovered in the Kushan area and written records indicating multiple Kushan embassies were dispatched to Roman emperors clearly demonstrate its links to Rome. Romans, in turn, acquired jewellery, furs, silk, and other opulent items from Asia through Kushan. Furthermore, Kushan guarded a mountain pass that provided easy access for trade and commerce between its realm and central China. Its cultural and commercial links with China went all the way to Mongolia. Kushan linked marine and overland commerce routes due to its closeness to the sea to the south via the Indus River basin, and Kushan items may be found from Scandinavia to Ethiopia. The region's religious identities were also varied, with a mixture of followers of many faiths, including Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. Kushan was known for its religious tolerance, and its rulers may have felt obliged to accept other religions in order to win over newly assimilated citizens. For instance, a fire altar that resembles Zoroastrian imagery may be seen on certain Kushan emperors' coins. Nonetheless, it seems that the Kushan emperors valued Buddhism and paid it particular honour. For instance, Emperor Kanishka promoted Buddhism through a number of projects. He translated numerous Buddhist scriptures into various native languages, including Sanskrit, and made them more accessible. He called the Fourth Buddhist Council to be held in Kashmir in the year 100 CE. The Sarvastivadin Abhidharma writings, a methodical exposition of Buddhist ideas, were created by this council, which also resolved to recognise the two Buddhist sects, Mahayan and Hinayan. Kanishka also made an artistic contribution to Kushan. One possible explanation for the Kushan art's endeavour to accommodate many religions is that it features the earliest depictions of the Buddha in human form. In the second century, Buddhist monks were able to introduce their faith to China thanks to the route that connected Kushan and China. The most well-known instance of this religious transmission came from the travels to China in the 180s by the Kushan monk Lokaksema. Lokaksema, a Buddhist scholar originally from Gandhara, studied in the Han dynasty court in China and translated works from the Mahayana school of Buddhism alongside his disciples. These sutras, which are a type of Buddhist text, were able to be read by a larger audience once they were translated into Chinese. Given that the presence of Buddhists on the region's major commerce routes undoubtedly contributed to Buddhism's development, Kushan's connections allowed the religion to develop both consciously and naturally. Following the demise of Vasudeva I in the early 3rd century, the Kushan Empire was divided into two autonomously administered regions: the east and the west. With their centre in what is now Afghanistan, the Sasanians took over the western half of the empire in 248 and replaced the governing dynasty with a group of obedient chiefs known as Indo-Sasanians. The IndoSasanian kingdoms received a degree of autonomy, allowing them to rule themselves for a period while still honouring the Sasanians. During this time of political upheaval, Buddhist monasteries seem to have continued their operations and artistic endeavours. After waging war against Kushan's eastern half, which was centred in the Punjab area of present-day northern India, the Gupta Empire eventually absorbed it into itself in the year 375. In the fifth century, the Hephthalites, sometimes known as the White Huns, finally seized control of the last remaining parts of the Kushan Empire.