What truly holds an empire together? Is it military power, economic wealth, or something far less visible yet far more enduring? Nearly 2,000 years ago, in the ancient city of Purushapura, modern-day Peshawar, the Kushan Empire confronted a challenge that still defines modern states today: how do you unite deeply diverse populations under a single political system?

At the height of its power in the second century CE, the Kushan Empire stood at the crossroads of civilizations. Traders from Central Asia, Persia, South Asia, and........

© Naya Daur