Significance of the Kushana Empire
Historian B.N. Mukherjee has referred to the presence of diamond mines in Akara (eastern Malwa) and the expansion of the empire into regions of lower Indus due to its trade potential. The Hou Han-shu also states that the Kushanas became wealthy and powerful as a result of their conquest of Shen-tu (the lower Indus region). Kanishka was a patron of art and architecture, and the Gandhara School of Art flourished under him.
The Hou Han-shu also states that the Kushanas became wealthy and powerful as a result of their conquest of Shen-tu (the lower Indus region). Kanishka was a patron of art and architecture, and the Gandhara School of Art flourished under him.
- The Kushanas controlled large parts of the Silk Route, which contributed to the propagation of Buddhism into China.
- The Kushanas controlled large parts of the Silk Route, which contributed to the propagation of Buddhism into China.
Many towers, chaityas, towns, and beautiful sculptures were built under the patronage of the Kushana kings. Along with their direct political and military control of this enormous realm, the Kushans also exerted significant influence upon much of ancient Eurasia by playing a crucial role in facilitating cross-cultural exchange that characterized the first Silk Roads Era.
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.
Table of Content
- Emergence of Kushan Empire and its consolidation
- Kushan Empire and its expansion under Kanishka
- Significance of the Kushana Empire
- Successors of Kanishka and the Decline of the Empire
- Literary and archaeological sources of Kushana Empire
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