Gomateshwari at 18:49, 5 February 2023

2023-02-05T18:49:27Z

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{{Short description|Kushan emperor from c. 265 to c. 270}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Kanishka III
| title = [[Kushan]] emperor
| image = Kanishka III Circa AD 267-270.jpg
| image_size = 270
| caption = <small>Coin of Kanishka III. Circa AD 267-270. Main mint in Taxila. '''''Obverse:''''' King Kanishka standing holding a standard, sacrificing over an altar; trident to left. [[Greco-Bactrian]] legend around ϷΑΟΝΑΝΟϷΑΟ ΚΑΝΗϷΚΙ ΚΟϷΑΝΟ
Shaonanoshao Kanishki Koshano "King of Kings, Kanishka the Kushan". [[File:Gupta ashoka g.svg|14px]] ''ga'' in Brahmi to right of altar; gho in Brahmi between legs; [[File:Gupta ashoka hu.jpg|14px]] ''hu'' in Brahmi to right of scepter. '''''Reverse:''''' [[Ithyphallic]] [[Oesho]] (Οηϸο), thought to be [[Shiva]], standing facing, holding a garland or diadem and trident; behind, the bull [[Nandi (mythology)|Nandi]] standing left; to upper left, pellet above tamgha.<ref>[https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=351847 CNG Coins]</ref></small>
| reign = c. 265 - 270 CE
| coronation =
| full name =
| predecessor = [[Vāsishka]]
| successor = [[Vasudeva II]]
| spouse =[[Bhanumati (Kushana Empress)|Bhanumati]]
| issue =[[Vasudeva II]]
| royal house =
| dynasty =
| father =
| mother =
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}}
{{Location map+
|South Asia
|float = right
|width = 270
|caption = Location of the Ara inscription of Kanishka III
|nodiv = 1
|mini = 1
|relief=yes
|places =
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=33.677222|N |long=72.855833|E |label=[[Arra, Pakistan|Ara]]|position=right |label_size=70 }}
}}
'''Kanishka III''' ([[Greco-Bactrian script|Greco-Bactrian]]: '''ΚΑΝΗϷΚΕ''' ''Kanēške''; [[Kharosthi]]: '''𐨐𐨞𐨁𐨮𐨿𐨐''' ''{{IAST|Ka-ṇi-ṣka}}'', ''{{IAST|Kaṇiṣka}}''; [[Brahmi script|Brahmi]]: [[File:Gupta ashoka kaa.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta ashoka nni.jpg|10px]]<sub>[[File:Gupta ashoka ssk.jpg|12px]]</sub> ''{{IAST|Kā-ṇi-ṣka}}'', ''{{IAST|Kāṇiṣka}}''; {{lang-sa|कनिष्क}}), was a [[Kushan]] emperor who reigned from around the year 265 CE to 270 CE. He is believed to have succeeded [[Vasishka]] and was succeeded by [[Vasudeva II]]. He ruled in areas of Northwestern India.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Frye |first1=Richard Nelson |title=The History of Ancient Iran |date=1984 |publisher=C.H.Beck |isbn=9783406093975 |page=[https://archive.org/details/historyofancient0000frye/page/344 344] |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofancient0000frye |url-access=registration |language=en}}</ref>

==Inscriptions==
In an inscription dated to the "Year 41" (probably of the 2nd century of the Kanishka era) and discovered on the borders of the river Ara in Punjab, he qualifies himself as a ''Maharaja rajadhiraja Devaputra Kaisara Kanishka'' ("Great King, King of Kings, Son of God, [[Caesar (title)|Caesar]], Kanishka), suggesting some awareness of the [[Roman Empire]] as ''Kaisara'' seems to stand for "Caesar", and names himself as the son of Vajheshka, identified as Kushan ruler [[Vashishka]].<ref>Mario Busssagli, "L'Art du Gandhara", p229</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=A Comprehensive History Of Ancient India (3 Vol. Set) |date=2003 |publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd |isbn=9788120725034 |page=134 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gE7udqBkACwC&pg=PA134 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Rezakhani |first1=Khodadad |title=From the Kushans to the Western Turks |date=2017 |page=203 |url=https://www.academia.edu/32671225 |language=en}}</ref> The inscription is rather worn and the reading ''Kaisara'' has been doubted, especially since no other mentions of this title are known from Kushan sources.<ref name="DA58">{{cite book |last1=Rosenfield |first1=John M. |title=The Dynastic Arts of the Kushans |date=1967 |publisher=University of California Press |page=58 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=udnBkQhzHH4C&pg=PA58 |language=en}}</ref>

{{multiple image|perrow=3|total_width=600|caption_align=center
| align = center
| direction =horizontal
| header=Ara inscription of the Year 41
| image1 = Ara inscription of the Year 41.jpg
| caption1 = Rubbing of the inscription. The [[Kharosthi]] script reads right to left.
| image2 = Ara inscription of the Year 41 (translation).jpg
| caption2 = Transliteration and English translation.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Konow |first1=Sten |title=Kharoshthi Inscriptions With The Exception Of Those Of Asoka |date=1929 |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.32007/page/n361 163] |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.32007}}</ref>
| image3 = Ara inscription of the Year 41 Ceasar segment.jpg
| caption3 = The very damaged "Caesar" portion, and its proposed reading
| footer=The Ara inscription of Kanishka III, in the [[Kharoshthi]] script, using the title ''Maharaja Rajatiraja Devaputra Kaisara Kanishka'' ("Great King, King of Kings, Son of God, Caesar, Kanishka)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Konow |first1=Sten |title=Kharoshthi Inscriptions With The Exception Of Those Of Asoka |date=1929 |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.32007/page/n361 163] |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.32007}}</ref>
}}
{{Kushan rulers}}

==Coinage==
No definite coins are known of him, as the "Kanishka" named in the coins is not differentiated. Only workmanship and graphical style in relation to other known rulers, tend to suggest attribution to this later Kanishka.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rosenfield |first1=John M. |title=The Dynastic Arts of the Kushans |date=1967 |publisher=University of California Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=udnBkQhzHH4C&pg=PA113 |language=en}}</ref>

==Notes==
<references/>

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box
| title = [[Kushan Empire|Kushan Ruler]]
| years =
| before = [[Vasishka]]
| after = [[Vasudeva II]]
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Kushans}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanishka 03}}
[[Category:Kushan Empire]]
[[Category:3rd-century Indian monarchs]]

Kanishka III - Revision history

Gomateshwari at 18:49, 5 February 2023