As the Han Dynasty ruled China to the east and the Roman Empire controlled most of Western Europe, India was nearing its own classical age. The Kushan Empire (30–375 CE) was fueled by wealth from the Silk Road trade. Learn more about the Kushans as you use your knowledge of classical civilizations to answer the following questions. Click the Show Me button to see the answer.
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The Kushan Empire stretched from the Khyber Pass into central Asia (between today’s Afghanistan and Pakistan) in the west and China in the east. This included all of northern India. By 130 CE, during the reign of Hadrian in Rome and Shundi in Han China, Kanishka, the fifth Kushan king, oversaw a flourishing civilization. Where did the wealth of the Kushan likely come from? the Silk Road trade; Located between China and Rome, the Kushan Empire was perfectly situated to control the trade between East and West. The Greeks called the Kushan capital of Mathura “the city of the gods.” In the 2nd century CE, at the height of Kushan Empire, Mathura was home to Greeks, Persians, Romans, and Chinese traders, scientists, and artists. Why might one modern European historian have called this Kushan era “the happiest time for humanity in the whole history of the world”? because different cultures opened up to each other in peace; Trade brought wealth to all who participated in it freely and peacefully, and the Kushan lands where trade converged experienced the cultural openness that international trade brought. The Kushans encouraged tolerance and cultural innovation. They developed the Sanskrit language into a great world literature. Their art was influenced by classical Greek sculpture. They also expanded east toward China. Why might they have done so? They would not risk a trade conflict by moving east. The lands between China and the Kushans had no empires or large kingdoms, and were not claimed by China. The lands west of the Kushans were controlled by Rome. Ayurvedic medicine was developed during the Kushan period. Ayurvedic medicine uses plants and other natural cures for disease. Ayurvedic medicine made its way from the Kushan Empire to China, where it lives on in traditional Chinese medicine. How did Ayurvedic medicine reflect Kushan culture? It stressed balance in the body and gentle treatments of illness. Ayurvedic medicine is not invasive. It relies on close observation of a patient’s problems and the careful selection of a natural medicine to restore balance in that patient. How did the geographic location of the Kushan Empire help it to prosper? The capital of the Kushan Empire lay along the Silk Road. It was actually a midpoint between the Mediterranean and Chinese worlds. The amount of money and goods that changed hands in the empire created a dynamic economy, and the population grew quickly. Both of these factors helped the empire to prosper. The Kushan Empire achieved many cultural and educational advances. In what area were they particularly advanced? The Kushans were especially advanced in medicine. Their tradition of Ayurveda, which is based on the use of natural cures, spread east along the Silk Road, and elements of this ancient approach to healing are still practiced in both India and China today. |
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