Introduction: The Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom, also known as Kushanshahs or Indo-Sasanians, was a branch of the Sasanian Persians who established their rule in Bactria during the 3rd and 4th centuries CE.
Under Ardashir I and his son Shapur I, the Kushans lost the western part of their empire, and these provinces in Bactria and Gandhara came under the rule of Sasanian nobles called Kushanshahs.
Zoroastrianism: The Zoroastrian faith enjoyed great popularity among the Kushano-Sasanians, as evidenced by the representation of fire altars on their coins.
Buddhist missionaries continued to exert their influence throughout Afghanistan and Central Asia, with Buddhism itself undergoing significant changes in practices and rituals.
Sassanid Rule: Sassanid rulers took the title of shahanshah (King of Kings) and administered the empire with considerable centralization, overseen by a powerful bureaucracy.
The territories were ruled by a number of petty rulers known as Shahrdar, directly overseen by the shahanshah, with districts governed by a shahrab and a mowbed (chief priest).
Kushano-Sasanid Coinage: The Kushano-Sasanids created an extensive coinage with legends in Brahmi, Pahlavi, or Bactrian, often depicting Zoroastrian fire altars or Shiva with the bull Nandi.
Scripts: Inscriptions in the Kushano-Sasanian period were written in various scripts including Brahmi, Pahlavi, and Bactrian, reflecting the diverse population of the region.
Kara-tepe: Excavations at Kara-tepe in present-day Uzbekistan have revealed a syncretistic mix of cultural material, including wall paintings, sculptures, pottery, and coins, reflecting a fusion of local and Sasanian traditions.
Zoroastrianism: Following the collapse of the Sassanid Empire, Zoroastrians, persecuted under Islamic rule, emigrated to present-day Gujarat, where they became known as Parsis and played a significant role in the development of India.
