Kushan Empire Discussion

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The Kushan Empire was a syncretic empire formed by Yuezhi and Bactrian territories in the 1st century AD. It spread within Central Asia to encompass large parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern India and Uzbekistan. The Kushans were a nomadic Indo-European people who migrated from northwestern China and settled in ancient Bactria. Their founder Kujula Kadphises followed Greek religious ideas and iconography after the Greco-Bactrian tradition. The Kushans were also great patrons of Buddhism and under Emperor Kanishka employed elements of Zoroastrianism in their religion belief. They played a critical role in spreading Buddhism to Central Asia and China. Kushans initially used the Greek language for administrative purposes but the language spread with their armies expansion as they had diplomatic ties with the Roman Empire, Sasanian Persia and the Han dynasty in China. The Kushan Empire was the heart of trade between Ancient Rome and China. However eventually they were invaded by Sasanians from the west, the Indian Gupta Dynasty from the east and lastly the Kidarites and Hephthalites from the north in 375 AD.