Ancient-indian-history / Post Mauryan Age / Indo-Sassanian
Indo-Sassanian
- A branch of Sasanian Persians who ruled in Bactria during 3rd and 4th centuries CE, after overthrowing the declining Kushans.
- Sasanian king Ardashir I invaded Bactria (around 230 AD) and took control of western part of Kushan empire.
- Kushanshahs, Sasanian nobles, ruled over Bactria and Gandhara provinces.
- Shapur II took direct control of southern region in 325 AD.
Religious life
- Zoroastrianism was popular among the Kushano-Sasanians, as shown on coins with fire altars.
- Buddhist missionaries also had influence throughout Afghanistan and Central Asia.
- Buddhism was undergoing change in practices, concepts, and rituals, with acceptance of Buddha image and expansion of monasteries.
- Shiva and Nandi also gained popularity.
Administration
- Sasanid rulers took title of shahanshah (King of Kings) and assumed guardianship of sacred fire.
- Smaller territories were ruled by a noble family, Shahrdar, overseen by shahanshah.
- Districts of provinces were ruled by shahrab and mowbed (chief priest).
- Sasanian rule was characterized by centralization, urban planning, agricultural development, and technological improvements.
- Bureaucracy carried out government affairs.
Coinage
- Extensive coinage with legend in Brahmi, Pahlavi, or Bactrian, sometimes inspired by Kushan coinage.
- Obverse depicts ruler with elaborate headdress, and reverse depicts Zoroastrian fire altar or Shiva with Nandi.
Economy, society, and trade
- Copper coins were widely used to meet local demands, although gold and silver coins also existed.
- Trade continued in the Silk Route.
Languages and scripts
- Middle Persian was written in Pahlavi script by Iranian natives and scribes.
- Kushano-Sasanian coinage had Middle Persian inscriptions in Pahlavi script.
- Inscriptions from Kushan and Kushano-Sasanian periods were found in Termez, written in Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts.
Architecture
- Kara-tepe in Uzbekistan is a typical syncretistic cultural material, with wall paintings, sculptures, pottery, and more.
- Other cities and settlements in Bactria developed during the Kushano-Sasanian period.
- Buddhist art developed from Gandhara traditions with local features, while non-Buddhist art displayed a fusion of local and Sasanian traditions.
Legacy
- Sassanid culture drew on and interacted with other cultures, creating a synthesis.
- Zoroastrians became a persecuted minority after the collapse of Sassanid Empire and many emigrated.
- One group settled in Gujarat and later became known as Parsis, playing a significant role in India's development.
The Main Kushano-Sassanid rulers are as follows:
| Ruler | Period |
| Ardashir I Kushanshah | 230–245 |
| Peroz I Kushanshah | 245–275 |
| Hormizd I Kushanshah | 275–300 |
| Hormizd II Kushanshah | 300–303 |
| Peroz II Kushanshah | 303–330 |
| Varahran Kushanshah | 330-365 |
