Kushanshah

Kushano-Sasanian ruler Ardashir I Kushanshah, circa 230-250 CE. Merv mint.

Kushanshah was the title used by the governors of the Sasanian Empire who ruled the parts of the former Kushan Empire, in the areas of Sogdiana, Bactria and Gandhara, named Kushanshahr by the Sasanians, during the 3rd and 4th centuries CE.[1] They are collectively known as Kushano-Sasanians, or Indo-Sasanians.

The Kushanshahs minted their own coinage, and took the title of Kushanshas, ie "Kings of the Kushans".[1] This administration continued until 360 CE.[1] The Kushanshas are mainly known through their coins.

A rebellion of Hormizd I Kushanshah (277-286 CE), who issued coins with the title Kushanshahanshah ("King of kings of the Kushans"), seems to have occurred against contemporary emperor Bahram II (276-293 CE) of the Sasanian Empire, but failed.[1]

The title is first attested in the Paikuli inscription of the Sasanian shah Narseh in ca. 293, where it functioned as a title for the Sasanian governors of the eastern portion of the empire. The title was also used by the Kidarite dynasty, which was the last kingdom to make use of it.

Main Kushanshahs

Based on coinage, a list of the Kushanshah rulers can be established:[2][3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 3, E. Yarshater p.209 sq
  2. ↑ History of Civilizations of Central Asia, Ahmad Hasan Dani, B. A. Litvinsky, Unesco p.105
  3. ↑ Numismatic Evidence for Kushano-Sasanian Chronology Joe Cribb 1990 p.171

Sources

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