Question

The Capital of the Kanishka Empire was _____.
(A) Patliputra
(B) Peshawar
(C) Taxila
(D) Kabul

Answer 1

Hint : Kanishka , founder of the Kushan empire, ruler of a kingdom in Bactria extending to Pataliputra on the Gangetic plain. Its capital was located in Purushapura in Gandhar.

Complete Step by Step Answer Kanishka, known as the great king of the Kushan Dynasty, ruled over Northern Part of India, Afghanistan and some areas of Central Asia. He was the most powerful ruler of the Kushan Empire. The capital of Kushan was Purushpura or Peshawar. Kanishka was the successor of Vima Kadphises as described in the genealogy of Kushan Kings called Rabatak inscription. The ruling period of Kanishka is quite uncertain but it is estimated that his accession is estimated between 78 CE and 144 CE. His empire was vast covering an area from Bukhara (currently in Uzbekistan) and Tajikistan, north of Amu Darya to Pakistan and Northern India Mathura in south east including Kashmir. He was a great patron of Buddhism. During his time, Buddhism was divided into Mahayana and Hinayana. As he was patron of Buddhism, he called the 4th Buddhist Council in Kundalvana of Kashmir in 78 AD. He did so to reconcile the differences between different Buddhist sects. The council was chaired by Vasumitra. In the council, Buddhist texts were engraved in copper sheets. Scholars like Vasumitra, Asvaghosa, Charaka, Parsva and Nagarjun. Kanishka fought King Han HO-ti of the Han Dynasty of China and defeated him in second attempt. However after Kanishka’s throne by mid 4th century, the empire was broken and most of the Indian possessions were incorporated in the Gupta Empire. The contributions of Kushans in amalgamating diverse cultured and economic systems is impeccable.

Option (B) is correct answer

Note : A French Archaeologist team carried out an excavation and unearthed astounding hoard dating back to the Kushan Dynasty which is known as Bagram Treasure. It consists of remarkable objects like glass from Egypt, carved Indian Ivories, Roamn sculptures, Alexandrian sculptures and silk garments from China.