Kanishka II

Kushan emperor from 230 to 247

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

Kushan emperors
30 CE–350 CE


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: 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

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 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

References

^ ^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

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

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.