Person

Kanishka

r. c. 127–150 · 2nd century · Also known as Kanishka the Great, Kanishka I

Kanishka was the most famous ruler of the Kushan Empire, reigning in the 2nd century CE, probably from about 127, over lands from Bactria to the Ganges plain, with capitals at Purushapura (Peshawar) and Mathura. The Rabatak inscription records his descent from Kujula Kadphises and his use of Bactrian for official purposes. Buddhist tradition remembers him as a great patron who built a huge stupa at Peshawar.

Kanishka
Image: World Imaging · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 profile

Kushan EmpireFoundation, Military, Governance, Impact, Summary

Mentioned in 1 state history

Kushan Empire

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kanishka. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kanishka
MLA
“Kanishka.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kanishka. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Kanishka.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kanishka.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kanishka’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kanishka (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻