The Parthians or the Pahlavas-

• The Parthians became dominant in the western frontier of India.

• They succeeded the Sakas.

• The first ruler was Gondophares.

• Gondophares probably allowed the Kshatrapas a large measure of autonomy.

• It was during time that Christianity arrived in India when St. Thomas began propagation this new religion in 52 A.D.

• The kingdom collapsed as a result of a major invasion by the Kushanas and also by the Kshetrapas

The Kushanas

• According to Chinese historians, the Kushanas were a part of the Yueh-chi race constituted by nomadic groups that inhabited the borders of modern China.

• They were driven out from the lands which they had conquered from the Sakas and were forced to resume their march.

• They reached Mathura and at times beyond Mathura through the Ganga plains till Bhagalpur in Bihar.

• The Kushana rulers took up such titles as Mahisvara, Devaputra, Kaiser and Shahi-Sahanushabi.

Important Kings of Kushan Empire-

A.Kujula Kadphises-

• The first ruler was Kujula Kadphises who adopted the title ‘Great King, King of Kings’.

• He overpowered the Saka- Pahlava or Parthians

B.Kadphises II or Vima Kadphises-

• He made Kushan a paramount power of northern India.

• His reign saw emergence of Kushan empire when he conquered North western regions, Punjab, and large territories of Gangetic valley also. (Pakistan and modern Afganistan) and northern India

Gold Coins-

• Vima Kadphises revolutionized the monitory system by introducing gold coins to the existing copper coinage.

• He issued gold coins with high-sounding titles like the ‘Lord of the Whole World’.

• He was a devotee of Lord Siva.

C.Kanishka-

• He was the most important ruler of the Kushana dynasty.

• He was the founder of the Saka era which starts from 78 A.D.

• He was not only a great conqueror but also a patron of religion and art.

• He maintained two capitals one at Purushpura which is now situated in Pakistan and the second one at Mathura in west Uttar Pradesh.

Territorial Expansion-

• The maximum territorial expansion of the Kushana empire took place during Kanishka I's reign.

• According to the Rabatak Bactrian inscription, the Kushana realm at the time of Kanishka extended to the cities of Saketa, Kausambi, Pataliputra, and Sri-Campa in the Ganges-Yamuna valley.

• Kanishka is said to have waged war against the western satraps of Ujjain.

• He defeated Chastitan, the Saka ruler, who acknowledged Kanishka’s supremacy and surrendered a portion of Malwa to him.

• According to Kalhana, Kanishka invaded Kashmir and occupied it

Kanishka and Buddhism-

• Kanishka was follower of Buddhism.

• His coins exhibit the images of not only Buddha but also Greek and Hindu gods.

• It reflects the Kanishka’s toleration towards other religions.

• Kanishka's father was a saivite and his grandfather was a Buddhist.

• Kanishka was a patron of Mahayana Buddhism(In this The Buddha deified as God and worshipped in the form of statue)

Buddhist Scholars-

• He patronised Buddhist scholars like Vasumitra, Asvagosha(author of Buddhacharita) and Nagarjuna( He wrote Madhyamika Sutra in which he discusses the relativity theory)

Fourth Buddhist Council-

• It was held during his time under at the Kundalavana monastery near Srinagar in Kashmir under the presidentship of Vasumitra

Kushan monetary system-

• The Kushans used gold ingots as part of their monetary system.

• These ingots bear inscriptions in Kharoshthi mentioning their weight and the god Mitra ( protector of contractuel relations).

• The coinage of the Kushans was abundant and an important tool of propaganda in promoting each Kushan ruler

Kushana’s art and Architecture-

• Kushan art, the art of the Kushan Empire in northern India, flourished between the 1st and the 4th century CE.

• It blended the traditions of the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara, influenced by Hellenistic artistic canons and the more Indian art of Mathura

Gandhara Art-

• It originated during the reign of Indo-Greek rulers but the real patrons of this school of art were the Sakas and the Kushanas, particularly Kanishka.

• Gandhara art was a blend of Indian and Graeco-Roman elements

The salient features of Gandhara art are-

• The Gandhara school made sculptures of the Buddha in various sizes, shapes and postures.

• Moulding human body in a realistic manner with minute attention to physical features like muscles, moustache and curtly hair.

• Thick drapery with large and bold fold lines.

• Rich carving, elaborate ornamentation and symbolic expressions.

• The figure of the Buddha is comparatively more stout, shorter and broader.

• The Main focus of this art was Mahayana Buddhism

Mathura School of Art-

• From the time of Vima Kadphises or Kanishka I the Kushans established one of their capitals at Mathura in northern India.

• A few sculptures of the Buddha, such as the "Isapur Buddha" are known from Mathura from circa 15 CE, well before the arrival of the Kushan

Features of Mathura school of art-

• The Buddha images exhibit the spiritual feeling in his face which was largely absent in the Gandhara school.

• The Mathura school also carved out the images of Siva and Vishnu along with their consorts Parvathi and Lakshmi.

• The female figures of yakshinis and apsaras can also be seen in this school.

• Various dedications in the name of Kushan kings, such as Vasudeva I, with dates, appear on fragments of Jain statuary discovered in Mathura

Architecture of Kushans-

• Kanishka was a great builder of Stupas and cities.

• He erected in his capital a monastery and a huge wooden tower in which he placed some relics of the Buddha.

• Ruins of about fifteen monasteries were found in and around Peshawar and Rawalpindi.

• The Buddhist stupas erected during this period had Graeco-Roman architectural impact

Kushana administration-

• We find that the administrative systems of the Kushanas were a mix of both foreign elements and Indian elements.

• The important foreign element was the government by satraps.

• There were some functionaries who had foreign names.

• The name strategos stood for a general or military governor, while meridach represented district magistrate.

• Amatyas and mahasenapatis were officers of Indian origin

Kushan Literature-

• His court was adorned by many scholars like Ashvaghosha, Vasumitra, Nagarjuna and Charaka.

• Kanishka also patronized contemporary intellectual’s sage `Shakya-muni' who had introduced him to Buddhism.

• Sanskrit became an official language and many works of the Buddhists were composed in Sanskrit.

• Susruta was a renowned physician during his time

Impact on Indian Society

• The Sakas and Kushanas introduced the turban, tunic, trousers and heavy long coats. Caps, helmets and boots were also worn by the Central Asian warriors.

• Later their military technology spread to India.

Successors of Kanishka-

• Kanishka's immediate successor was Vashishka who was then succeeded by Hyvishka.

• There is a controversy as the last ruler of the dynasty although the scholars have agreed upon Vasudeva I being the last great king of Kushanas