THE HELLENISTIC KUSHAN EMPIRE The Kushan empire was a syncretic empire formed by Yuezhi, a confederation of nomadic pastoralists, who migrated from the arid grassland area in the northwestern part of the modern Chinese province of Gansu … Schist with traces of gold foil. The Greeks were also open to Indian religious ideas as is attested by the pillar inscription of Heliodoros, the ambassador of King Antialcidas who became a worshipper of Vishnu and erected the Garuda pillar with an inscription in Bra ?hm ?? The Kushans had a large role in transmitting Buddhism along the Silk Road. The Kushan Empire was a political power that started as a nomadic tribe from the Central Asian steppe and became established as sedentary state across South Asia and Central Asia. Much is known of the Kushan religious life. By J. Harmatta, B. N. Puri, L. Lelekov, S. Humayun and D. C. Sircar The amount of the payment exacted from Anathapindada was calculated by covering the grounds of the park to be purchased with gold coins. Religions in the Kushan Empire. Religions in the Kushan Empire. "The Kushan Empire." Some of the coins of Huvishka also featured Maaseno on his coins, the Kushan incarnation of the Hindu god Karttikeya, or Skanda, whose epithet was "Mahasena". � The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Kushan is a Mahayana Pashtun autocracy located in the Khorasan region of the Persia subcontinent and Central Asia region of the Tartary subcontinent, both in the Asia continent. The great religions influenced one another and began slowly to absorb the local cults. The Kushan empire lasted through the mid-first century and the third century. History of Civilizations of Central Asia From Afghanistan's Hadda region, circa 300 - 500 CE. Kushan empire (Archaeology), Kushan art and architecture, Buddha Stupa, Buddhism in Pakistan ; ... controlled the lands that were understood in antiquity to play a special role in the formation of Iranian identity and religion . What is the Kushan Religion? With his conversion to and official support of Mahayana Buddhism, the religion underwent a period of substantial growth, gaining converts throughout the Kushan realm, including parts of China. Kushans followed the Zoroastrian religion, with their royal deities Nana and Ommo. Soon he came under influence of Hinduism (most likley embraced it for good) and took opportunity to proclaim himself Mahishwara, another name for Lord Shiva, on … The Kushans practiced an ecumenical rule, supporting many deities of different religions in their multi-racial empire. Khotan - Capital of an Oasis State on the Silk Road in China. ThoughtCo. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/the-kushan-empire-195198. The Kushan Empire was very unique in regards to it’s cultural identity, and their many surprising external influences. The identification of the subject of this relief as the Gift of Anathapindada is by no means certain. The Kushans developed Greco-Buddhism by fusing Hellenistic and Buddhist religious symbols and beliefs, thus creating a form of Mahayana Buddhism. Kushan emperors represented a wide variety of faiths, including Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and possibly Saivism, a sect of Hinduism. He was a foreigner by birth. Kanishka was a Kushan of probable Yuezhi ethnicity. : 11 Silk11Road: Religion in the Kushan Empire: Vol II; J. HARMATTA, B. N. PURI, L. LELEKOV, S. HUMAYUN AND D. C. SIRCAR Another Shaivite deity 'Skando-Kumaro' appears on the coins of Huvishka. Kushan Empire – Ruler Kujula Kadphises or Kadphises I [AD 30-AD 80) Kujula Kadphises was the first Yuezhi chief to lay the foundation of the Kushana Empire in India. Zoroastrianism was a widespread religious cult in Bactria in the second century BC, in addition to continued adherence to ancient Greek religions and culture. Although Hinduism is often understood as being a polytheistic religion, supposedly recognizing as many as 330 million gods, it also has one god that is ‘Supreme’ over all the others- Brahma. The Kushan empire even adapted Buddhism with artistic depictions and stories to attract followers from other religions and with different cultural histories. The Kushans ruled from first to second century AD, extending its reach to each and every corner of the valley. Furthermore, the Saka and Kushan tribes arrived in this region with their own distinctive religions and divinities, and the conquest of India by the Kushan ruler, Vima Kadphises, introduced new religious influences, most … Kushans – in part due to their geographical location – was a crossroads where European and near eastern cultural practices integrated directly with those originating in East Asia. Historians believed that these reports were fabricated until the base of this amazing structure was discovered in Peshawar in 1908. The eastern Kushan Empire fell at an unknown date, likely between 335 and 350 CE, to the Gupta king, Samudragupta. Kushan worshipper with Zeus/Serapis/Ohrmazd, 3rd century CE. After 225 CE, the Kushan Empire crumbled into a western half, which was almost immediately conquered by the Sassanid Empire of Persia, and an eastern half with its capital in Punjab. Follow. RELIGION. Szczepanski, Kallie. Asked by Wiki User. During the reign of Kushans in Jammu Kashmir the influence of Buddhism was at its peak. Kushan emperors represented a wide variety of faiths, including Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and possibly Saivism, a sect of Hinduism. ... Before we explore the numerous deities on Kushan coins let us first try to understand the nature of religion, the origin of the gods, and their respective roles and significance in human life. The Guptas, Mauryans, and Kushans practiced Hinduism and Buddhism. The Kushans encouraged Greco-Buddhism which involved Buddhism with Greek deities. Kushan emperors represented a wide variety of faiths, including Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and possibly Saivism, a sect of Hinduism. The Kushan religious pantheon is extremely varied, as revealed by their coins and their seals, on which more than 30 different gods appear, belonging to the Hellenistic, the Iranian, and to a lesser extent the Indian world. Kushan ruler Kanishka (flourished c. 78-c. 103 A.D.) controlled an empire covering most of India, Iran, and central Asia in the first and second centuries. The term Kushan art refers to a variety of artistic expressions that developed under the rule of the Kushan dynasty during the first three centuries of the Common Era on a territory spreading broadly between north of the Oxus River and the Gangetic plain in North India. Around the years A.D. 20 or 30, the Kushans were driven westward by the Xiongnu, a fierce people who likely were the ancestors of the Huns. http://bit.ly/1CFicPG To start with Buddha’s was always represented symbolically: footprints, halo, throne, three jewels and … A direct road from the Kushan Empire and China, as well as the security offered by the Kushan Empire, facilitated trade with the Roman Empire, Sassanid Persia, Aksumite Empire, and Han China. By the rule of the fifth emperor, Kanishka the Great from 127 to 140 the Kushan Empire had pushed into all of northern India and expanded east again as far as the Tarim Basin—the original homeland of the Kushans. Wiki User Answered 2012-07-27 09:16:14. The Kushan age was a time when trade with the Roman Empire led to huge surpluses for the Kushans who controlled these trade routes. Asked by Wiki User. The empire attained great wealth by uniting sea trade on the Indian Ocean with the overland trade on the Silk Road. Religions in the Kushan Empire The Kushans had a large role in transmitting Buddhism along the Silk Road. The Rabatak inscription uses a Greek script, to write a language described as Arya (αρια) – most likely a form of Bactrian native to Ariana, which was an Eastern Iranian language of the Middle Iranian period. Religions in the Kushan Empire By J. Harmatta, B. N. Puri, L. Lelekov, S. Humayun and D. C. Sircar Extract from the book: History of Civilizations of Central Asia The development of sedentary and nomadic civilizations: 700 B.C. Kushan Dynasty. However, evidence suggests that he also worshiped the Persian deity Mithra, who was both a judge and a god of plenty. The chapter of Kushan Empire is truly a glorious one in the Jammu & Kashmir history. The Kushans were influenced by the Hellenistic kingdoms, and maintained a wide variety of faiths, including Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Kushan emperors represented a wide variety of faiths, including Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and possibly Saivism, a sect of Hinduism. The Kushans practiced an ecumenical rule, supporting many deities of different religions in their multi-racial empire. Unfortunately, many of the practices, beliefs, art, and texts of the Kushans were destroyed when the empire collapsed and if not for the historical texts of Chinese empires, this history may have been lost forever. The Kushan were a branch of the Yuezhi confederation. Read more: ROMAN. Kushan Empire Κυϸανο (Bactrian) Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν (Greek) 30–375 A map of India in the 2nd century CE showing the extent of the Kushan Empire (in yellow) during the reign of Kanishka. Those deities have their origin in Greek, Iranian and, to a lesser degree, Indian religions. In Bactria, they conquered the Scythians and the local Indo-Greek kingdoms, the last remnants of Alexander the Great's invasion force that had failed to take India. Later the Kushans attained predominance over the other and the leader was … to A.D. 250 Published by UNESCO - 1994 The spread of Indian religions also began under Graeco-Bactrian rulers at this period. Religions in the Kushan Empire By J. Harmatta, B. N. Puri, L. Lelekov, S. Humayun and D. C. Sircar Extract from the book: History of Civilizations of Central Asia The development of sedentary and nomadic civilizations: 700 B.C. to A.D. 250 Published by UNESCO - 1994 The spread of Indian religions also began under Graeco-Bactrian rulers at this period. The Kushans were instrumental in spreading Buddhism in Central Asia and China and in developing Mahayana Buddhism and the Gandhara and Mathura schools of art. Given all their contacts with the great empires of the day, it is hardly surprising that the Kushan people developed a culture with significant elements borrowed from many sources. Kushan worshipper with Zeus/Serapis/Ohrmazd, 3rd century CE: The Kushans were influenced by the Hellenistic kingdoms and maintained a wide variety of faiths, including Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Throughout its reign, the Kushan Empire spread control over much of Southern Asia all the way to modern-day Afghanistan and throughout the Indian subcontinent—with it, Zoroastrian, Buhhdism and Hellenistic beliefs also spread as far as China to the east and Persia to the west. Some religions that the people of the Kushan empire practiced were Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. None the less, the Kushan kings were well aware of the current trends in religious life and followed them. Kushan coins depict deities including Helios and Heracles, Buddha and Shakyamuni Buddha, and Ahura Mazda, Mithra and the Zoroastrian fire god Atar. With his conversion to and official support of Mahayana Buddhism, the religion underwent a period of substantial growth, gaining converts throughout the Kushan realm, including parts of China. Tag Archives: are witness to the toleration and to the syncretism in religion and art that prevailed in the Kushan empire. Kushan empire (Archaeology), Kushan art and architecture, Buddha Stupa, Buddhism in Pakistan ; ... controlled the lands that were understood in antiquity to play a special role in the formation of Iranian identity and religion . The emperor built this fabulous stupa to house three of the Buddha's bones. She has taught at the high school and university levels in the U.S. and South Korea. The most important was syncretism. KUSHAN DYNASTY. During his reign, Kanishka built a stupa that Chinese travelers reported as about 600 feet high and covered with jewels. Pakistan, ancient region of Gandhara Source: collections.dma.org. From this central location, the Kushan Empire became a wealthy trading hub between the peoples of Han China, Sassanid Persia and the Roman Empire. Kushan Empire is one of the most interesting Dynasties which ruled over the land of Jammu & Kashmir. The Kushan religious pantheon is extremely varied, as revealed by their coins and their seals, on which more than 30 different gods appear, belonging to the Hellenistic, the Iranian, and to a lesser extent the Indian world. The Kushan Empire was very unique in regards to it’s cultural identity, and their many surprising external influences. To start with Buddha’s was always represented symbolically: footprints, halo, throne, three jewels and … https://www.thoughtco.com/the-kushan-empire-195198 (accessed May 10, 2021). Tag Archives: Religion in Kushan Empire. Dr. Kallie Szczepanski is a history teacher specializing in Asian history and culture. (2021, February 16). However, this was likely adopted by the Kushans to facilitate communication with local subjects. Kushan worshipper with Shiva/Oesho, Bactria, 3rd century CE. The chapter of Kushan Empire is truly a glorious one in the Jammu & Kashmir history. Zoroastrianism was a widespread religious cult in Bactria in the second century BC, in addition to continued adherence to ancient Greek religions and culture. Many Arab tribes join the Empire and many convert to various varieties of Buddhism from their former religions of Arab Paganism and Himyarite religion. It was in eastern and northern Afghanistan and the north-west of India. Gandharan, under the syncretic Kushan Empire. The name Kushan derives from the chinese term Guishang. For these reasons, it had undergone numerous invasions in its history. King Kanishka I (127–c.147), who had Prakrit Buddhist texts translated into Sanskrit, convened one of the great Buddhist councils in Kashmir. The Kushan Empire began in the early 1st century as a branch of the Yuezhi, a confederation of ethnically Indo-Europeans nomads who lived in eastern Central Asia. The Kushan empire lasted through the mid-first century and the third century. The Kushans became affluent through trade, particularly with Rome, as their large issues of gold coins show. See Answer. He was succeeded by his son Vima Taktu or Sadashkana (AD 80 -AD 95) who expanded the empire into northwest India. The Kushan empire even adapted Buddhism with artistic depictions and stories to attract followers from other religions and with different cultural histories. The Kushans fled to the borderlands of what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, where they established an independent empire in the region known as Bactria. Brisk trade prevailed as the area covered by the Kushan Empire helped the flow of trade between the east and the west. in honour of Vishnu at Besnagar. Some scholars connect the Kushans with the Tocharians of the Tarim Basin in China, Caucasian people whose blonde or red-haired mummies have long puzzled observers. Predominantly Zoroastrian, the Kushans also incorporated Buddhist and Hellenistic beliefs into their own syncretic religious practices. Kushan Empire is one of the most interesting Dynasties which ruled over the land of Jammu & Kashmir. ix. Kushans – in part due to their geographical location – was a crossroads where European and near eastern cultural practices integrated directly with those originating in East Asia. The Kushan were a branch of the Yuezhi confederation. Wiki User Answered 2012-07-27 09:16:14. They also used the Greek alphabet that they altered to suit spoken Kushan. The Kushans ruled from first to second century AD, extending its reach to each and every corner of the valley. Published by UNESCO - 1994 Emperor Kanishka had […] "The Kushan Empire." And that is clearly visible in their coinage. Predominantly Zoroastrian, the Kushans also incorporated Buddhist and Hellenistic beliefs into their own syncretic religious practices. The Kushans encouraged Greco-Buddhism which involved Buddhism with Greek deities. See more here ( http://archaeologyonline.net/artifacts/heliodorus-column ), other site artefacts - roman wine leaf motif + tribal motif, The Grand Mughals - Babur to Bahadur Shah Zafar (1526-1857), Indian Life and Landscapes by Western Artists, Literature, Music and Dance of Ancient India, Museums, Libraries and Archives of the World, India - Its People, Culture, Professions and Languages, The Honourable East India Company (1600-1858), The Dutch, French and Portuguese in India, History of India's Trade, Industry and Finance, Astronomy, Ayurveda, Yoga, Science and Mathematics in Ancient India, The History of India - By its various Historians, http://archaeologyonline.net/artifacts/heliodorus-column. Insta - https://www.instagram.com/hrsht.dwivediHindi Version - https://youtu.be/k4qkxMCcL6gIn this video I have talked about the Kushana Empire. He adopted Buddhism as his religion. Theravada Buddhism was carried to Sri Lanka and parts of Southeast Asia, where it remains a dominant religious tradition. He established his supremacy over Kabul, Kandahar and Afghanistan. The Kushan Empire (Sanskrit: कुषाण राजवंश (Kuṣāṇ Rājavaṃśa), BHS: Guṣāṇa-vaṃśa, Parthian: Kušanxšaθr) was first formed in the early 1st century AD. So the ‘Kushan pantheon’ appearing on the coins represents only a selection of the religious cults of their empire. Art of the Kushans. Kanishka personally seems to have embraced both Buddhism and the Persian attributes but he favored Buddhism more as it can be proven by his devotion to the Buddhist teachings and prayer styles depicted in various books related to kushan empire. Art of the Kushans. Sudatta, called Anathapindada (the Incomparable Almsgiver), was the richest merchant of the town of Shravasti (in Kosala). Which Asian Nations Were Never Colonized by Europe? Religion Blog The Kushans. The Gandhara region, at the core of the Kushan empire, was home to a multiethnic society, tolerant towards religious differences. Top Answer. Image: Kushan ruler Kanishka (flourished c. 78-c. 103 A.D.) controlled an empire covering most of India, Iran, and central Asia in the first and second centuries. The Kushan empire was a syncretic empire formed by Yuezhi, a confederation of nomadic pastoralists, who migrated from the arid grassland area in the northwestern part of the modern Chinese province of Gansu and settled in the territories of ancient Bactria. The spread of Indian religions also began under Graeco-Bactrian rulers at this period. ix. It was also a period of great wealth marked by extensive mercantile activities and a flourishing of urban life, Buddhist thought, and the visual arts. Some religions that the people of the Kushan empire practiced were Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. The Gandhara style of art that evolved and developed during the Kushans helped improve the imagery absorbing some features of the local cults along with the Greek, Iranian and the Indian iconography. The Kushan Empire was a political power that started as a nomadic tribe from the Central Asian steppe and became established as sedentary state across South Asia and Central Asia. He adopted Buddhism as his religion. The foundation of the Kushan Empire in Bactria and India was the result of a long series of ethnic migrations. The coins with depictions of Buddha are said to be the first pictures of the Buddha. ROMAN. Top Answer. He established his supremacy over Kabul, Kandahar and Afghanistan. afghanlibrary. Kanishka was a devout Buddhist and has been compared to the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka the Great in that regard. The Kushans practiced an ecumenical rule, supporting many deities of different religions in their multi-racial empire. At the time of Kanishka I the empire was established as a secular kingdom, where all religion could flourish. Szczepanski, Kallie. Extract from the book: Rulers of the Persian Empire: Expansionism of Cyrus and Darius, Biography of Chandragupta Maurya, Founder of the Mauryan Empire, The Mauryan Empire Was the First Dynasty to Rule Most of India, J.D., University of Washington School of Law, B.A., History, Western Washington University. : 11 Silk11Road: Religion in the Kushan Empire: Vol II; J. HARMATTA, B. N. PURI, L. LELEKOV, S. HUMAYUN AND D. C. SIRCAR Another Shaivite deity 'Skando-Kumaro' appears on the coins of Huvishka. The Kushan Empire the second century BCE to the second century CE influenced the Silk Roads in China firstly through the spread of Buddhism. By his conquests, by religious activities and by patronizing the Indian culture, he made the Kushan period eminently distinguished. His native language is unknown. Roman gold and Chinese silk changed hands in the Kushan Empire, turning a nice profit for the Kushan middle-men. Deities on Kushan Coins – Part I. He was succeeded by his son Vima Taktu or Sadashkana (AD 80 -AD 95) who expanded the empire into northwest India. Ardashir I's son Shapur I continued the expansion of the empire, conquering Bactria and the western portion of the Kushan Empire, while leading several campaigns against Rome. The Gift of Anathapindada, Kushan period, 2nd�3rd century See Answer. Soon he came under influence of Hinduism (most likley embraced it for good) and took opportunity to proclaim himself Mahishwara, another name for Lord Shiva, on … Kushan worshipper with Shiva/Oesho, Bactria, 3rd century CE. Thanks a lot RBSI for highlighting kushan empire & its religious era, Heliodorus Pillar of 113 BCE at Besnagar, Vidisha, M.P., with a fisher folk crowd doing "Khambaba" worship, 2 months back. Kushan Empire – Ruler Kujula Kadphises or Kadphises I [AD 30-AD 80) Kujula Kadphises was the first Yuezhi chief to lay the foundation of the Kushana Empire in India. No direct relationship has been established between Kanishka and his predecessor Kadphises II. The coins with depictions of Buddha are said to be the first pictures of the Buddha. Kushan worshipper with Zeus/Serapis/Ohrmazd, 3rd century CE: The Kushans were influenced by the Hellenistic kingdoms and maintained a wide variety of faiths, including Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Emperor Kanishka had succeeded Kadphises II as the third king of the Kushan dynasty. Their pantheon of deities have been revealed by the images and inscriptions on coins. The Kushan Empire (Sanskrit: कुषाण राजवंश (Kuṣāṇ Rājavaṃśa), BHS: Guṣāṇa-vaṃśa, Parthian: Kušanxšaθr) was first formed in the early 1st century AD. 553 notes. The chapter of Kushan Empire is truly a glorious one in the Jammu & Kashmir history. The Gandahara region at the core of the Kushan empire was home to a multiethic society tolerant of religious difference. He met the Buddha at Rajagriha and proposed to donate money in order to buy land for a monastery in Shravasti. ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/the-kushan-empire-195198. The Kushan Empire in the second century AD, shown on a present-day map by Moesgaard Museum Islamic dynasties – an era of Arabic glory Around 650 AD, the Arabs arrived in the area, bringing with them the new Islamic religion that preached equality and justice. Invading Roman Mesopotamia , Shapur I captured Carrhae and Nisibis , but in 243 the Roman general Timesitheus defeated the Persians at Rhesaina and regained the lost territories. As seen in The Questions of King Milinda, Menander prior to the Kushan Empire played a role in converting Buddha from a sage to a god and in his conversation with Nāgasena justified the giving of jewels and tribute to Buddha. to A.D. 250 The presence at the far left of the figure holding a waterpot suggests that a gift is about to be made, as a donor traditionally poured water over the hands of a recipient to seal a gift. Place : Jammu & Kashmir Language : Pali Prakrit Bactrian Sanskrit Greek Religion : Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Greco-Buddhism Ancient Greek religion KUSHAN DYNASTY. However, determining the overall meaning depends on identification of the objects in the bowl being proffered to the Buddha. At the time of Kanishka I the empire was established as a secular kingdom, where all religion could flourish. 1 General Information 2 Decisions 2.1 Eastern Technology Reform 2.2 Form Mughal Empire 2.3 Form Persian Nation 2.4 Muslim Technology Reform Kushan is a Mahayana Pashtun autocracy located in the Khorasan region of the Persia subcontinent and Central Asia region of the Tartary subcontinent, both in the Asia continent. Himyar is vassalized for the the present but there is a continued pressure on them to join and also inside the Kushan Empire … This was a time when gold flowed into India in large quantities. #history #art history #india #afghanistan #religion #buddhism #alexander the great #kushan empire #ancient history. His reign saw emergence of Kushan empire when he conquored north-western India (modern Punjab). Kushan worshipper with Zeus/Serapis/Ohrmazd, 3rd century CE: The Kushans were influenced by the Hellenistic … The development of sedentary and nomadic civilizations: 700 B.C. Kushan controlled a large territory ranging from the Aral sea. Gandhara was a strategic location, which had access to the silk routes as well as to the rich ports of the Arabian Sea. According to the testimony of the Greek and Aramaic versions of the rock edicts of As ?oka (see Chapter 16), the beginning of Buddhist missions to Bactria dates back to the third cen- tury b.c. His reign saw emergence of Kushan empire when he conquored north-western India (modern Punjab). Kanishka ruled from Peshawar (currently Pakistan), but his empire also included the major Silk Road cities of Kashgar, Yarkand, and Khotan in what is now Xinjiang or East Turkestan. The Kushans were influenced by the Hellenistic kingdoms and maintained a wide variety of faiths, including Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Szczepanski, Kallie. The spread of Buddhism and Brahmanism was due to Indian merchants and crafts- men emigrating to the great centres of Graeco-Bactria (see Chapter 17 and the inscription of the potter Punyamitra from Begram).

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