Kanishka II - Wikipedia

Kanishka II
Kushan emperor
Coin with a depiction of Kanishka II.
Reign	200–222 CE
Predecessor	Vasudeva I
Successor	Vasishka


Heraios	1–30 CE
Kujula Kadphises	50–90 CE
Vima Takto	90–113 CE
Vima Kadphises	113–127 CE
Kanishka I	127–151 CE
Huvishka	151–190 CE
Vasudeva I	190–230 CE
Kanishka II	230–247 CE
Vāsishka	247–267 CE
Kanishka III	267–270 CE
Vasudeva II	270–300 CE
Mahi	300–305 CE
Shaka	305–335 CE
Kipunada	335–350 CE

Kanishka II (Brahmi: 𑀓𑀸𑀡𑀺𑀱𑁆𑀓; 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]

Rule

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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 Pašakibur (i.e. 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

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Coin of Kanishka II with Oesho.
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]

Notes

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References

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^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Rezakhani, Khodadad (2017). From the Kushans to the Western Turks. p. 202.
^ Cribb 2018, p. 20-21.
^ Rienjang, Wannaporn; Stewart, Peter, eds. (2017). Problems of Chronology in Gandharan Art (PDF). Archaeopress. pp. 35–51. ISBN 978-1-78491-856-9. Retrieved 27 May 2021.

Sources

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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.

External links

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Online catalogue of coins of Kanishka II

Preceded by Vasudeva I	Kushan Ruler	Succeeded by Vasishka

Kushan Empire
Emperors, territories and chronology

Territories/ dates	Western India	Western Pakistan Balochistan	Paropamisadae Arachosia	Bajaur	Gandhara	Western Punjab	Eastern Punjab	Mathura
				INDO-SCYTHIAN KINGDOM			INDO-GREEK KINGDOM	INDO-SCYTHIAN Northern Satraps
25 BCE – 10 CE				Indo-Scythian dynasty of the APRACHARAJAS Vijayamitra (ruled 12 BCE – 15 CE)^{[t 1]}	Liaka Kusulaka Patika Kusulaka Zeionises	Kharahostes (ruled 10 BCE– 10 CE)^{[t 2]} Mujatria	Strato II and Strato III	Hagana
10-20CE		INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM Gondophares		Indravasu	INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM Gondophares		Rajuvula
20–30 CE			Ubouzanes Pakores	Vispavarma (ruled c. 0–20 CE)^{[t 3]}	Sarpedones		Bhadayasa	Sodasa
30-40 CE			KUSHAN EMPIRE Kujula Kadphises (c. 50–90)^{[t 4]}	Indravarma	Abdagases		...	...
40–45 CE				Aspavarma	Gadana		...	...
45–50 CE				Sasan	Sases		...	...
50–75 CE							...	...
75–100 CE	Indo-Scythian dynasty of the WESTERN SATRAPS Chastana		Vima Takto (c. 90–113)^{[t 4]}				...	...
100–120 CE	Abhiraka		Vima Kadphises (c. 113–127)^{[t 4]}
120 CE	Bhumaka Nahapana	PARATARAJAS Yolamira	Kanishka I (c. 127–151)^{[t 4]}				Great Satrap Kharapallana and Satrap Vanaspara for Kanishka I
130–230 CE	Jayadaman Rudradaman I Damajadasri I Jivadaman Rudrasimha I Isvaradatta Rudrasimha I Jivadaman Rudrasena I	Bagamira Arjuna Hvaramira Mirahvara	Huvishka (c. 151 – c. 190)^{[t 4]} Vasudeva I (c. 190 – 230)^{[t 4]}
230–250 CE	Samghadaman Damasena Damajadasri II Viradaman Yasodaman I Vijayasena Damajadasri III Rudrasena II Visvasimha	Miratakhma Kozana Bhimarjuna Koziya Datarvharna Datarvharna	KUSHANO-SASANIANS Ardashir I (c. 230 – 250) Ardashir II (?-245)	Kanishka II (c. 230 – 247)^{[t 4]}
250–280		Miratakhma Kozana Bhimarjuna Koziya Datarvharna Datarvharna	Peroz I, "Kushanshah" (c. 250 – 265) Hormizd I, "Kushanshah" (c. 265 – 295)			Vāsishka (c. 247 – 267)^{[t 4]} Kanishka III (c. 267 – 270)^{[t 4]}
280–300	Bhratadarman	Datayola II	Hormizd II, "Kushanshah" (c. 295 – 300)			Vasudeva II (c. 267 – 300)^{[t 4]}		GUPTA EMPIRE Chandragupta I Samudragupta Chandragupta II
300–320 CE	Visvasena Rudrasimha II Jivadaman		Peroz II, "Kushanshah" (c. 300 – 325)			Mahi (c. 300–305)^{[t 4]} Shaka (c. 305 – 335)^{[t 4]}
320–388 CE	Yasodaman II Rudradaman II Rudrasena III Simhasena Rudrasena IV		Varahran I (325–350) Shapur II Sassanid king and "Kushanshah" (c. 350)			Kipunada (c. 335 – 350)^{[t 4]}
388–396 CE	Rudrasimha III		KIDARITES invasion
^ From the dated inscription on the Rukhana reliquary ^ Richard Salomon (July–September 1996). "An Inscribed Silver Buddhist Reliquary of the Time of King Kharaosta and Prince Indravarman". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 116 (3): 418–452 [442]. JSTOR 605147. ^ Richard Salomon (1995) [Published online: 9 Aug 2010]. "A Kharosthī Reliquary Inscription of the Time of the Apraca Prince Visnuvarma". South Asian Studies. 11 (1): 27–32. doi:10.1080/02666030.1995.9628492. ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Jongeward, David; Cribb, Joe (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.

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