Hannashka Empire

Hannashka Empire
30–393
Flag
Status	Nomadic empire
Capital	Halram Khasin Chanda (Rideva)
Common languages	Makedonian (official until ca. 127) Khaltian
Religion	Buddhism Hatta Zoroastrianism
Government	Monarchy
Emperor
• 30–80	Kujula Kadphises
• 368–393	Kipunada
Historical era	Classical Antiquity
• Kujula Kadphises unites Liezue tribes into a confederation	30
• Subjugated by the Rideva Empire	393
Currency	Hannashka drachma
Preceded by Succeeded by Indo-Greek Kingdom of Arosiananda Tennaiite Queendoms Khaltians Eranic kingdoms Mombala tribes Mannsuri tribes Nalayan tribes Rideva Empire

The Hannashka Empire was a syncretic empire, formed by the Hannashka, in the Khaltian territories in the early 1st century. It spread to encompass much of Khaltia, and then the northwestern parts of Tennai, parts of northeastern Nalaya to the Nuadan Ocean, most of Mombala to the Nuadan Ocean, and a large swathe of eastern Mansurriyah. They conquered much of the Indo-Greek kingdom of Arosiananda and played an important role in the establishment of Buddhism in Tennai and its spread to Eastern Siduri and Symmeria.

The Hannashka were most probably one of five branches of the Liezue confederation, likely a Mongolic-Turkic nomadic people of possible Khyizan origin, who migrated from north-central Siduri and settled in ancient Khaltia.

The Hannashka’s possibly used the Greek language initially for administrative purposes, but soon began to use the Khaltian language. A direct road from northwestern Tennai, through Khaltia, and to the Nuadan coast of Siduri remained under Hannashka control for more than a century, encouraging travel across the Khaltian highlands and facilitating the spread of Buddhism to eastern Siduri.

The Hannashka dynasty had diplomatic contacts with the Symmerian Empire, petty Erani kingdoms, the Sabrian Empire, and the Koldari and Supta Alliances of southern and eastern Tennai, and the Liúşai League. The Hannaskha Empire was at the center of trade relations between the Symmerian Empire and Southern and Eastern Siduri. While much philosophy, art, and science was created within its borders, the only textual record of the empire's history today comes from inscriptions and accounts in other languages, particularly Sanskrit.

Much of the Hannashka empire was conquered by the Rideva Empire in the late 4th century AD. A small successor kingdom in Khaltia survived the Rideva invasion, but was little more than a Rideva vassal. This vassal kingdom quickly lost its Hannashka identity as Ridevan monarchs sought to eliminate any memory of Hannashka accomplishments in effort to stamp out any possible revival of the Hannashka state. The Ridevan vassal survived until it came under the control of the Al-Bashiri Caliphate and the Rawwadid Dynasty.

Diverse Cultural Influences

The Hannashkas adopted elements of the Hellenistic culture of Khaltia. They adopted the Hellenic alphabet to suit their own language (with the additional development of the letter Þ "sh", as in "Hannashka") and soon began minting coinage on the Hellenic model. On their coins they used Hellenic language legends combined with Hali legends (in the Kharoshthi script), until the first few years of the reign of Kanishka. After the middle of Kanishka's reign, they used Hannashka language legends (in an adapted Hellenic script), combined with legends in Hellene (Hellenic script) and legends in Prakrit (Kharoshthi script).

The Hannashkas "adopted many local beliefs and customs, including Zoroastrianism and the two rising religions in the region, the Hellenic cults and Buddhism". From the time of Vima Takto, many Hannashkas started adopting aspects of Buddhist culture. They absorbed the strong remnants of the Hellene culture of the Hellenistic Kingdoms and the Deva-Hellene Kingdom, becoming at least partly Hellenised. The great Hannashka emperor Vima Kadphises may have embraced Kalaism (a sect of Hahtta), as surmised by coins minted during the period. The following Hannashka emperors represented a wide variety of faiths including Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Kalaism.

The rule of the Hannashkas linked the seagoing trade of the Nuadan Ocean with the commerce of the Spice Road through the long-civilized Kallappa Valley. At the height of the dynasty, the Hannashkas loosely ruled a territory that extended through present-day , Mansuriyyah, Nalaya, Mombala, and northwestern Tennai.

The loose unity and comparative peace of such a vast expanse encouraged long-distance trade, brought Tennaiite spices to Makedon, Sabria, and the Liúşai League, and created strings of flourishing urban centers.