Satavahana Empire
Main article: Satavahana Empire
Satavahana Empire
Sanchi Stupa Two and Southern Gateway, 1st century CE (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Indian ship on lead coin of Vasisthiputra Sri Pulamavi, testimony to the naval, seafaring and trading
capabilities of the Sātavāhanas during the 1st–2nd century CE.
The Śātavāhanas were based from Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh as well as Junnar (Pune) and
Prathisthan (Paithan) in Maharashtra. The territory of the empire covered large parts of India from
the 1st century BCE onward. The Sātavāhanas started out as feudatories to the Mauryan dynasty,
but declared independence with its decline.
The Sātavāhanas are known for their patronage of Hinduism and Buddhism, which resulted in
Buddhist monuments from Ellora (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) to Amaravati. They were one of
the first Indian states to issue coins with their rulers embossed. They formed a cultural bridge and
played a vital role in trade as well as the transfer of ideas and culture to and from the Indo-Gangetic
Plain to the southern tip of India.
They had to compete with the Shunga Empire and then the Kanva dynasty of Magadha to establish
their rule. Later, they played a crucial role to protect large part of India against foreign invaders like
the Sakas, Yavanas and Pahlavas. In particular, their struggles with the Western Kshatrapas went on
for a long time. The notable rulers of the Satavahana Dynasty Gautamiputra Satakarni and Sri Yajna
Sātakarni were able to defeat the foreign invaders like the Western Kshatrapas and to stop their
expansion. In the 3rd century CE the empire was split into smaller states.[128]
Trade and travels to India
Further information: Silk Road transmission of Buddhism
Silk Road and Spice trade, ancient trade routes that linked India with the Old World; carried goods
and ideas between the ancient civilisations of the Old World and India. The land routes are red, and
the water routes are blue.
The spice trade in Kerala attracted traders from all over the Old World to India. India's Southwest
coastal port Muziris had established itself as a major spice trade centre from as early as 3,000 BCE,
according to Sumerian records. Jewish traders arrived in Kochi, Kerala, India as early as 562
BCE.[129] The Greco-Roman world followed by trading along the incense route and the Roman-India
routes.[130] During the 2nd century BCE Greek and Indian ships met to trade at Arabian ports such
as Aden.[131] During the first millennium, the sea routes to India were controlled by the Indians and
Ethiopians that became the maritime trading power of the Red Sea.
Indian merchants involved in spice trade took Indian cuisine to Southeast Asia, where spice mixtures
and curries became popular with the native inhabitants.[132] Buddhism entered China through the
Silk Road in the 1st or 2nd century CE.[133] Hindu and Buddhist religious establishments of South
and Southeast Asia came to be centres of production and commerce as they accumulated capital
donated by patrons. They engaged in estate management, craftsmanship, and trade. Buddhism in
particular travelled alongside the maritime trade, promoting literacy, art, and the use of
coinage.[134]
Kushan Empire
Main article: Kushan Empire
Kushan Empire
Kushan territories (full line) and maximum extent of Kushan dominions under Kanishka (dotted line),
according to the Rabatak inscription.
Depiction of the Buddha in Kanishka's coinage, Mathura art, 2nd century CE.
The Kushan Empire expanded out of what is now Afghanistan into the northwest of the Indian
subcontinent under the leadership of their first emperor, Kujula Kadphises, about the middle of the
1st century CE. The Kushans were possibly a Tocharian speaking tribe,[135] one of five branches of
the Yuezhi confederation.[136][137] By the time of his grandson, Kanishka the Great, the empire
spread to encompass much of Afghanistan,[138] and then the northern parts of the Indian
subcontinent.[139]
Emperor Kanishka was a great patron of Buddhism; however, as Kushans expanded southward, the
deities of their later coinage came to reflect its new Hindu majority.[140][141] Historian Vincent
Smith said about Kanishka:
He played the part of a second Ashoka in the history of Buddhism.[142]
The empire linked the Indian Ocean maritime trade with the commerce of the Silk Road through the
Indus valley, encouraging long-distance trade, particularly between China and Rome. The Kushans
brought new trends to the budding and blossoming Gandhara art and Mathura art, which reached its
peak during Kushan rule.[143] The period of peace under Kushan rule is known as Pax Kushana.
By the 3rd century, their empire in India was disintegrating and their last known great emperor was
Vasudeva I.[144][145]
Classical period (c. 320 – 650 CE)
Gupta Empire
Main article: Gupta Empire
Further information: Meghadūta, Abhijñānaśākuntala, Kumārasambhava, Panchatantra,
Aryabhatiya, Indian numerals, and Kama Sutra
Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire around 420 CE at its peak territorial extent under Kumaragupta I.
The current structure of the Mahabodhi Temple dates to the Gupta era, 5th century CE. Marking the
location where the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment.
The Gupta period was noted for cultural creativity, especially in literature, architecture, sculpture,
and painting.[146] The Gupta period produced scholars such as Kalidasa, Aryabhata, Varahamihira,
Vishnu Sharma, and Vatsyayana. The Gupta period marked a watershed of Indian culture: the Guptas
performed Vedic sacrifices to legitimise their rule, but they also patronised Buddhism, an alternative
to Brahmanical orthodoxy. The military exploits of the first three rulers – Chandragupta I,
Samudragupta, and Chandragupta II – brought much of India under their leadership.[147] Science
and political administration reached new heights during the Gupta era. Strong trade ties also made
the region an important cultural centre and established it as a base that would influence nearby
kingdoms and regions.[148][149] The period of peace under Gupta rule is known as Pax Gupta.
The latter Guptas successfully resisted the northwestern kingdoms until the arrival of the Alchon
Huns, who established themselves in Afghanistan by the first half of the 5th century CE, with their
capital at Bamiyan.[150] However, much of the southern India including Deccan were largely
unaffected by these events.[151][152]
Vakataka Empire
Main article: Vakataka Empire
The Vākāṭaka Empire originated from the Deccan in the mid-third century CE. Their state is believed
to have extended from the southern edges of Malwa and Gujarat in the north to the Tungabhadra
River in the south as well as from the Arabian Sea in the western to the edges of Chhattisgarh in the
east. They were the most important successors of the Satavahanas in the Deccan, contemporaneous
with the Guptas in northern India and succeeded by the Vishnukundina dynasty.
The Vakatakas are noted for having been patrons of the arts, architecture and literature. The rock-
cut Buddhist viharas and chaityas of Ajanta Caves (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) were built under
the patronage of Vakataka emperor, Harishena.[153][154]
The Ajanta Caves are 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monument built under the Vakatakas.
The Ajanta Caves are 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monument built under the Vakatakas.
Buddhist monks praying in front of the Dagoba of Chaitya Cave 26 of the Ajanta Caves.
Buddhist monks praying in front of the Dagoba of Chaitya Cave 26 of the Ajanta Caves.
Buddhist "Chaitya Griha" or prayer hall, with a seated Buddha, Cave 26 of the Ajanta Caves.
Buddhist "Chaitya Griha" or prayer hall, with a seated Buddha, Cave 26 of the Ajanta Caves.
Many foreign ambassadors, representatives, and travelers are included as devotees attending the
Buddha's descent from Trayastrimsa Heaven; painting from Cave 17 of the Ajanta Caves.
Many foreign ambassadors, representatives, and travelers are included as devotees attending the
Buddha's descent from Trayastrimsa Heaven; painting from Cave 17 of the Ajanta Caves.
Kamarupa Kingdom
Main article: Kamarupa Kingdom
Copper Plate Seal of Kamarupa Kings at Madan Kamdev ruins.
Samudragupta's 4th-century Allahabad pillar inscription mentions Kamarupa (Western Assam)[155]
and Davaka (Central Assam)[156] as frontier kingdoms of the Gupta Empire. Davaka was later
absorbed by Kamarupa, which grew into a large kingdom that spanned from Karatoya river to near
present Sadiya and covered the entire Brahmaputra valley, North Bengal, parts of Bangladesh and,
at times Purnea and parts of West Bengal.[157]
Ruled by three dynasties Varmanas (c. 350–650 CE), Mlechchha dynasty (c. 655–900 CE) and
Kamarupa-Palas (c. 900–1100 CE), from their capitals in present-day Guwahati (Pragjyotishpura),
Tezpur (Haruppeswara) and North Gauhati (Durjaya) respectively. All three dynasties claimed their
descent from Narakasura.[158] In the reign of the Varman king, Bhaskar Varman (c. 600–650 CE), the
Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited the region and recorded his travels. Later, after weakening and
disintegration (after the Kamarupa-Palas), the Kamarupa tradition was somewhat extended until c.
1255 CE by the Lunar I (c. 1120–1185 CE) and Lunar II (c. 1155–1255 CE) dynasties.[159] The
Kamarupa kingdom came to an end in the middle of the 13th century when the Khen dynasty under
Sandhya of Kamarupanagara (North Guwahati), moved his capital to Kamatapur (North Bengal) after
the invasion of Muslim Turks, and established the Kamata kingdom.[160]
Pallava Empire
Main article: Pallava Empire
The Shore Temple (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) at Mahabalipuram built by Narasimhavarman II.
The Pallavas, during the 4th to 9th centuries were, alongside the Guptas of the North, great
patronisers of Sanskrit development in the South of the Indian subcontinent. The Pallava reign saw
the first Sanskrit inscriptions in a script called Grantha.[161] Early Pallavas had different connexions
to Southeast Asian countries. The Pallavas used Dravidian architecture to build some very important
Hindu temples and academies in Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram and other places; their rule saw the
rise of great poets. The practice of dedicating temples to different deities came into vogue followed
by fine artistic temple architecture and sculpture style of Vastu Shastra.[162]
Pallavas reached the height of power during the reign of Mahendravarman I (571–630 CE) and
Narasimhavarman I (630–668 CE) and dominated the Telugu and northern parts of the Tamil region
until the end of the 9th century.[163]
Kadamba Empire
Main article: Kadamba Empire
