Kanishka II
Kanishka II (Brahmi: Kā-ṇi-ṣka) was one of the emperors of the Kushan Empire from around 225–245 CE. He succeeded Vasudeva I who is considered to be the last great Kushan emperor.[1]
Kanishka II | |
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Kushan emperor | |
Coin with a depiction of Kanishka II. | |
Reign | 200–222 CE |
Predecessor | Vasudeva I |
Successor | Vasishka |
Kushan Empire 30 CE–350 CE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rule
While he upheld Kushan rule in northern India, it is likely that Kanishka II lost the western part of his empire, namely Bactria/Tokharistan to the Sasanian Shapur I (240-272 CE), whose conquests would be consolidated by the Kushano-Sassanians.[1] In his inscriptions at Naqsh-e Rostam Shapur now claimed that he controlled the realm of the Kushans (Kūšān šahr) “up to Purushapura” (Peshawar), suggesting that he may have expanding even beyond the Hindu-Kush at the expense of the Kushans.[1] The rock inscription at Rag-i-Bibi further support this view.[1]
Several overstrikes by the Kushano-Sasanian Peroz I Kushanshah over coins of Kanishka II are known, and it is from the time of Peroz that the first Kushano-Sasanian coins were issued south of the Hindu-Kush.[2]
Kanishka II may have retaken control of Gandhara at one point, as well as Kapiśa, and there are suggestions that following these successes he may have created a second Era of Kanishka in celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the original one.[1]
Coinage and dated statuary
- Coin of Kanishka II with lord shiva .
- Kanishka II with Ardoksho.
- Statue of Hariti from Skarah Dheri, Gandhara, with the inscription "Year 399", probably in the Yavana era, hence 244 CE.[3]
References
- Rezakhani, Khodadad (2017). From the Kushans to the Western Turks. p. 202.
- Cribb 2018, p. 20-21.
- Problems of Chronology in Gandharan Art pp.35-51, 2017
Sources
- Cribb, Joe (2018). Problems of Chronology in Gandhāran Art: Proceedings of the First International Workshop of the Gandhāra Connections Project, University of Oxford, 23rd-24th March, 2017. University of Oxford The Classical Art Research Centre Archaeopress.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
External links
Preceded by Vasudeva I |
Kushan Ruler | Succeeded by Vasishka |
- From the dated inscription on the Rukhana reliquary
- An Inscribed Silver Buddhist Reliquary of the Time of King Kharaosta and Prince Indravarman, Richard Salomon, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 116, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1996), pp. 442
- A Kharosthī Reliquary Inscription of the Time of the Apraca Prince Visnuvarma, by Richard Salomon, South Asian Studies 11 1995, Pages 27-32, Published online: 09 Aug 2010
- Cribb, Joe; Donovan, Peter (2014). Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite Coins A Catalogue of Coins From the American Numismatic Society by David Jongeward and Joe Cribb with Peter Donovan. p. 4.