Classical Antiquity
Kushan Empire
30 AD – 375 AD · peak 150 AD
The Kushan Empire (30–375 AD) originated from the Yuezhi people and formed a syncretic state spanning Central Asia and Northern India. Under Kanishka I, the empire became a center for Greco-Buddhist art and facilitated the transmission of Mahayana Buddhism to China. It declined in the 3rd century AD due to pressure from the Sassanids and the rising Gupta Empire.
Capital: Purushapura (Peshawar)
Key figures
Battles in this period
Trade routes in use
- Amber Road (1500 BC – 500 AD)
- Incense Route (1000 BC – 400 AD)
- Alexandria–Rome Grain Route (30 BC – 400 AD)
- Silk Road (130 BC – 1450 AD)