The Pre-Gupta

Period
By- Manish Shrivastava
 Foreign Dynasties
The Parthians

❏ The Parthians or Pahlavas were the Iranian people who followed Saka
domination in north - western India The Parthians are also known as
Pahlavas. They ruled from Peshawar.
❏ The earliest king of this dynasty was Vovones, who adopted the title of
great king of kings.
❏ Gondophernes (19-45 AD) was the greatest of the Parthian kings.
Gondophrenes was the most famous Parthian king, during who reign
St. Thomas visited India to propagate Christianity. He ruled from
19-45 AD based on Takht-i-Bahi inscription
 Foreign Dynasties
The Kushanas or Yuechis

❏ The Kushanas were the most powerful of all the foreign invaders
who came to India.
❏ The Kushanas were one of the five clans into which the Yuechis
tribe was divided.
❏ First year Yuechi king was Kujala Kadphises or Kadphises I. He
issued many coins with Indian gods and goddesses.
❏ Vima Kadphises or Kadphises II succeeded Kadphises I. He issued
gold & copper coins.
❏ He was a devotee of Shiva as his coins showed Shiva holding a
trident & a bull.
 Foreign Dynasties
Kanishka

❏ Kanishka (78 AD- 101 AD) succeeded Kadphises-II. Kanishka was

the most well-known and greatest king among all the Kushana
kings.
❏ Kanishka founded Saka era (78AD) which is used by government of
India. It was described as the Saka -kala or Saka -nripa- kala
❏ His capital was Purushapura i.e. modern Peshawar & Mathura.
❏ Kanishka was the follower of Mahayana Buddhism. The Fourth
Buddhist Council was held during Kanishka’s reign.
❏ He sent missionaries outside India for the propagation of Buddhism.
 Foreign Dynasties
Kanishka

❏ He constructed the Peshawar Stupa.

❏ Kanishka’s court was adorned by the presence of some eminent
scholars as Parsva, Nagarjuna, Ashvaghosh, Vasumitra, Charaka etc.
❏ Mathura & Gandhara school of Arts attained their peak in his reign.
❏ Sushruta Samhita, a book on surgery was written by Sushruta
during his time.
❏ He established a city named Kanishkapura in Kashmir.
❏ He started idol making hindu god & goddesses.
● Process of devkul idol of
king
● Maximum number of
gold coin
● Manusmriti by manu
● Varnasamkara
● Stridhana
 Importance of Kushan Rule
❏ The Kushans established trade and commerce with outside world and especially
with the Roman emperors. Kanishka adopted the title Kaiser.
❏ Asvaghosa was the author of Buddhacharita, Saundarananda and Sariputra
Prakarana.
❏ Buddhism was introduced into China by Kasyapa Matanga.

Central Asian Contact: Some Facts

❏ Some Indian ports mentioned in Periplus of the Erythrean Sea (meaning a voyage
of the Red sea), are - West Coast- Barbaricum (near month of Indus), Barygaza
(Broach), Suppara (Sopara), Kalliena (Kalyana), Masaiia (Masulipatam), Tamralipti.
❏ Romans mainly imported spices such as pepper also known as yavanapriya.
Thank You