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| - The Kushan Empire (c. First–Third Centuries) reached its cultural zenith circa 105 – 250 C.E., extended from Tajikistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and into the Ganges River valley in northern India. The Kushan tribe of the Yuezhi confederation, believed to be Indo-European people from the eastern Tarim Basin, China, possibly related to the Tocharians, created the empire. They were the furthest eastern Indo-European speaking people.
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| abstract
| - The Kushan Empire (c. First–Third Centuries) reached its cultural zenith circa 105 – 250 C.E., extended from Tajikistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and into the Ganges River valley in northern India. The Kushan tribe of the Yuezhi confederation, believed to be Indo-European people from the eastern Tarim Basin, China, possibly related to the Tocharians, created the empire. They were the furthest eastern Indo-European speaking people. The Kushans adopted elements of the Hellenistic culture of Bactria, adapting a form of the Greek alphabet into their own language. They practiced Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and possibly Saivism, while taking elements of the Indian culture which them mingled with Hellenistic culture. The empire attained great wealth by uniting sea trade on the Indian Ocean with the overland trade on the Silk Road. Much is known of the Kushan religious life. Their pantheon of deities have been revealed by the images and inscriptions on coins. Those deities have their origin in Greek, Iranian and, to a lesser degree, Indian religions. The Kushans developed Greco-Buddhism by fusing Hellenistic and Buddhist religious symbols and beliefs, thus creating a form of Mahayana Buddhism. King Kanishka I (127–c.147), who had Prakrit Buddhist texts translated into Sanskrit, convened one of the great Buddhist councils in Kashmir. Kanishka I achieved stature equal to Ashoka 304 B.C.E. – 232 B.C.E.) as emperors advancing Buddhism. The Kushans also promoted Hinayana and Mahayana scriptures in China, playing a key role in the Silk Road transmission of Buddhism.
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