The Kushans: " From Pastorals to Emperors"
The period after the decline of the Mauryans is considered as the dark phase of the Indian History. This is basically because of the lot of works and lot of variations taking place simultaneously. We find a lot of foreign empires taking hold of the subcontinent be it the Indo-Greeks, Sakas, Pahlavas, Kushanas or the Sassanians. The invasion of the foreign powers into the subcontinent brought different aspect to the social and material culture of the people. Also the foreign trade of the subcontinent with the outer world was flourishing at this time (especially under the Kushanas who got hold of the Silk Route) which had made the economy to boom at that time which can be clearly judged from the purity of the gold coins which were being issued by the Kushanas; and that its primarily the main reason why the Marxist school of Historians considered the age particularly under Kushanas to be the "Golden Age of the Indian History". However, this belief has always been challenged by the Nationalist school of Historians who considered the Gupta period to be the Golden Age.
The Kushanas that we know in the History of India were initially pastoral people from Central Asia. According to the Chinese source Hou-han-shou they were the part of the Yueh-chi tribe who were forced to leave their homeland by their rival tribe Huing-nu around the first quarters of the second century BC. The Yueh-chi people divided themselves among two unequal part; the part with less number of people came to be known as little Yueh-chi who settled around the modern day Tibet and the group with larger number migrated west ward and settled around the areas of river Ili where they also displaced some Sakas. The Yueh-chi people settled here for some time but was again forced to flee more westward by the people of Wu-shun tribe. Finally the greater Yueh-chi settled in Bactria north of the River Oxus and established their rule here. Gradually, they transformed to sedentary people rather than continuing being pastoral. The Yueh-chi people with passing time got mixed up with the Sakas. This combined race of people were the one who laid the foundation of the coming Kushan Empire. Those people divided their area into 5 confederation namely An-hsi, Kao-fu, P'u-ta, Chi-pin and Kui-shuang. Each confederation or districts has their own head looking after the affairs of the people. It was Kiu-tsiu-kio (Kujula Kadphises) the head of the Kui-shuang district who conquered the other four and established the Kui-shuang Empire or the Kushan Empire.
Kujula Kadphises lived for 80 years and was succeeded by Vima Kadphises. However, there has been dispute regarding the succession after Kujula Kadphises. Now it is considered that Vima Takto came up on the throne whose nameless coins were found in the region of Bactria with titles King of kings and the great saviour. Vima Takto was succeeded by Vima Kadphises who is the first one among the Kushanas to invade India. He in his conquest to India reached upto Varanasi. Vima Kadphises is considered to be the original founder of the Kushan Empire because of his dominance in the battleground. He also conquered the lower Indus delta and gained control of the ports of the Arabian Sea. He was the one who established trade with the Romans. During his reign the economy of the Kushanas was booming. He was also the first one in the subcontinent to mint gold coins which clearly states the condition of his economy. He was succeeded by his son Kanishka, who is considered to be the greatest kings among the Kushanas. He is remembered for his military, political and spiritual achievements. He was also a great patron of art and literature. His kingdom extended from the Oxus river valley to upto Mathura (Rabatak Inscription also claims that he has control over Patliputra too). His capital Purushapura (modern day Peshawar,Pakistan) emerged out to be a great trading city for merchants and trade as well as also for the religious preachers from all the religions. While the merchants and trades traded in goods the religious preachers traded in their philosophy and their teachings of the various religions. However this is very unique sign shown by the Kanishka that he believed in syncretism. His coins are the proof of it as we find many coins with Gods of different religion on the reverse with Kanishka standing with his long coat and pointed boots on the obverse. He is also said to have built a large stupa at Purushapura standing 700ft tall for the Buddhists. It also acted as the resting place for the traders and merchants who came to that trade city from far off places. He also convened the 4th Buddhist council at Kashmir where the doctrine of Mahayan Buddhism was finalized. According to the Buddhists sources he is the second most favored king only after Ashoka for the Buddhists. 
The administrative system of Kushanas followed the Satrap system. They had Kshtrapa and Mahakshtrapa for administrative duties, Dandanayaka and Mahadandanayaka for judicial duties, Gramika and Padrapal for local offices and village duties respectively. In society we find a lot of assimilation of different cultures and inter mingling of people from different region. The Gandhara school of Art also flourished during this period. The foreign trade of India was also flourishing hence giving the Kushanas a very strong economy. Life style of the people was also good. For the first time we find difference in rural and urban areas in terms of administrative and judicial duties. Overall the Kushanas acted as a foundation empire over which the highly acclaimed Guptas prospered.
The Kushan people probably migrated from this part of China to the valleys of Hindu Kush.
The Kushanas that we know in the History of India were initially pastoral people from Central Asia. According to the Chinese source Hou-han-shou they were the part of the Yueh-chi tribe who were forced to leave their homeland by their rival tribe Huing-nu around the first quarters of the second century BC. The Yueh-chi people divided themselves among two unequal part; the part with less number of people came to be known as little Yueh-chi who settled around the modern day Tibet and the group with larger number migrated west ward and settled around the areas of river Ili where they also displaced some Sakas. The Yueh-chi people settled here for some time but was again forced to flee more westward by the people of Wu-shun tribe. Finally the greater Yueh-chi settled in Bactria north of the River Oxus and established their rule here. Gradually, they transformed to sedentary people rather than continuing being pastoral. The Yueh-chi people with passing time got mixed up with the Sakas. This combined race of people were the one who laid the foundation of the coming Kushan Empire. Those people divided their area into 5 confederation namely An-hsi, Kao-fu, P'u-ta, Chi-pin and Kui-shuang. Each confederation or districts has their own head looking after the affairs of the people. It was Kiu-tsiu-kio (Kujula Kadphises) the head of the Kui-shuang district who conquered the other four and established the Kui-shuang Empire or the Kushan Empire.
The extension of the Kushans under their greatest king, Kanishka
Kujula Kadphises lived for 80 years and was succeeded by Vima Kadphises. However, there has been dispute regarding the succession after Kujula Kadphises. Now it is considered that Vima Takto came up on the throne whose nameless coins were found in the region of Bactria with titles King of kings and the great saviour. Vima Takto was succeeded by Vima Kadphises who is the first one among the Kushanas to invade India. He in his conquest to India reached upto Varanasi. Vima Kadphises is considered to be the original founder of the Kushan Empire because of his dominance in the battleground. He also conquered the lower Indus delta and gained control of the ports of the Arabian Sea. He was the one who established trade with the Romans. During his reign the economy of the Kushanas was booming. He was also the first one in the subcontinent to mint gold coins which clearly states the condition of his economy. He was succeeded by his son Kanishka, who is considered to be the greatest kings among the Kushanas. He is remembered for his military, political and spiritual achievements. He was also a great patron of art and literature. His kingdom extended from the Oxus river valley to upto Mathura (Rabatak Inscription also claims that he has control over Patliputra too). His capital Purushapura (modern day Peshawar,Pakistan) emerged out to be a great trading city for merchants and trade as well as also for the religious preachers from all the religions. While the merchants and trades traded in goods the religious preachers traded in their philosophy and their teachings of the various religions. However this is very unique sign shown by the Kanishka that he believed in syncretism. His coins are the proof of it as we find many coins with Gods of different religion on the reverse with Kanishka standing with his long coat and pointed boots on the obverse. He is also said to have built a large stupa at Purushapura standing 700ft tall for the Buddhists. It also acted as the resting place for the traders and merchants who came to that trade city from far off places. He also convened the 4th Buddhist council at Kashmir where the doctrine of Mahayan Buddhism was finalized. According to the Buddhists sources he is the second most favored king only after Ashoka for the Buddhists.
A gold coin (both reverse and obverse) from the Kushan era.
A headless statue of Kanishka excavated from Mathura.
Kanishka was succeeded by Huvishka who founded a town in Kashmir called Hushkapura and a Buddhist monastery in Mathura. He was followed by Vasudeva on the throne who also showed signs of syncretism. Instead he also took up a Indian name which clearly shows that with passing time they got mixed with the Indian culture. The successors of Vasudeva were not so great hence after Vasudeva Ganga valley went out from their hands. In Gandhara too they had to pave way for the coming Sassanians who were Persian in origin. However they continued to rule over small areas in Kabul and Kashmir and accepted the suzerainty of the Sassanians.
The administrative system of Kushanas followed the Satrap system. They had Kshtrapa and Mahakshtrapa for administrative duties, Dandanayaka and Mahadandanayaka for judicial duties, Gramika and Padrapal for local offices and village duties respectively. In society we find a lot of assimilation of different cultures and inter mingling of people from different region. The Gandhara school of Art also flourished during this period. The foreign trade of India was also flourishing hence giving the Kushanas a very strong economy. Life style of the people was also good. For the first time we find difference in rural and urban areas in terms of administrative and judicial duties. Overall the Kushanas acted as a foundation empire over which the highly acclaimed Guptas prospered.
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