Literary and archaeological sources of Kushana Empire

Successors of Kanishka and the Decline of the Empire

The Rabatak inscription was a valuable record that belonged to Kanishka’s reign. The 23-line inscription was written in Bactrian and Greek script. According to this inscription, Kanishka commanded an officer named Shaphara to construct a bago-laggo (temple) wherein images of the goddess Nana and several other deities were to be installed.

Several direct depictions of Kushans from Gandhara have been discovered. They are represented with a tunic, belt, and trousers and play the role of devotees to the Buddha, as well as the Bodhisattva and future Buddha Maitreya. Stone statues of Kushana kings have been found in temples at Surkh Kotal in Afghanistan and Mat near Mathura, and similar images were discovered at Rabatak. The coins that were minted during his reign depicted motifs that were drawn from a variety of Indian, Greek, and West Asian religious traditions. Apart from Buddhist and Hindu gods, there were representations of Persian gods such as Atash (fire god) and Mithra (sun god) and Greek deities such as Helios (sun god) and Selene (moon goddess).

The variety of religious motifs depicted on the coins reflect the king’s personal religious eclecticism or his attitude of religious tolerance. This can be considered an attempt by the empire and the king to connect themselves with the dieties worshipped in and around their area of authority. Many of the coins of King Huvishka depict motifs drawn from a great variety of Indian, Greek, and West Asian religious traditions. Many gold and copper coins have been excavated during the reigns of Huvishka and Kanishka II.

Kushan Empire

Kushan Empire: The Kushanas (Kuei-shang) Empire was one of the five Great Yueh-chi principalities and was part of a series of tribal movements that began in Central Asia. The Kushana Empire was unified and founded by Kujuka Kadphises in the early 1st century C.E., and this empire continued to reign until 230 C.E. The empire expanded into the north-western part of the Indian subcontinent, establishing control over the Indus Valley and the Mathura region.

The empire reached its zenith during the reign of Kanishka. The empire developed its notion of kinship and acknowledged the religious diversity that existed within the empire. Historians have referred to various archaeological and literary sources to understand the importance of this empire and its contribution to shaping ancient Indian history.

Read below to learn about the Kushana Empire in depth.

Kushan Empire

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