Indus Valley Civilization, Territorial States, North-West India, Deccan
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Territorial States
Kingdoms and Capitals
Kingdom | Capital |
---|---|
Kapilavastu | Piprahwa |
Lichchhavi is | Vaishali |
Mahajanapadas | |
Anga | Champa |
Kashi | Varanasi |
Koshala | Shravasti |
Mallas | Kushinara |
Vatsa/Vamsa | Kaushambi |
Avanti | Ujjain (North) / Mahishamati (South) |
Magadha | Rajgir (Girivraja) |
Chedi/Cheti | |
Kuru | |
Panchala | |
Matsya | |
Surasena | Mathura |
Ashmaka | |
Gandhara | |
Kamboja | |
Vriji/Vajji | Mithila |
Satvanahanas | Paithan |
Pandya | Madurai |
Chola | Puhar (kaveripattanam) |
Chalyukyas | Badami (Bijapur) |
Pallavas | Kanchi |
Kadambas | Vijayanti |
Gangas | Kolar |
First Magadha Empire
Dynasty | Ruler | Remark |
---|---|---|
Haryanka | Bimbisara | Contemporary of Buddha |
Ajatsatru | ||
Udayin | Built fort on the confluence of Ganga and Son at Patna | |
Shishunagas | - | Destroyed the power of Avanti |
Nandas (most powerful rulers of Magadha) | Mahapadma Nanda |
Mauryas (Patliputra) | ||
---|---|---|
Mauryas had a very elaborate bureaucracy | Chandragupta Maurya | Megasthenes visited during his time |
Bindusara | Links with Greek princes | |
Ashoka | Buddhism | |
Shunga | ||
Pushyamitra Shunga | Destroyed the Maurya empire. Killed Maurya king Brihadratha |
- Balisadhaka – tax collectors during the times of Nandas
- Shaulkiki or shulkadhyakshas were also toll collectors
- Shakyas and Lichchhavis were republics
Literature
Book | Author/Language | Remark |
---|---|---|
Digha Nikaya | Pali | Buddhist text |
North-West India
Menander (Milinda) was the most famous Indo-Greek ruler.
- His capital at Sakala (Sialkot)
- Converted to Buddhism by Nagasena (Nagarjuna)
Shakas
- Succeeded the Greeks in North West
- Rudradaman I: most famous ruler
- He issued first ever long inscription in chaste Sanskrit
Parthians
- Followed Shakas
- Famous king: Gondophernes
- St. Thomas came during his reign
Kushans
- Aka Yuezhi or Tocharians
- Kadphises was the first king
- Kanishka is the most famous ruler
- Started the Shaka era in 78 AD
- Held the Buddhist council in Kashmir where the doctrines of Mahayana form were finalized
- Patronized Ashvaghosa
- Kushans inscriptions and coins found at Toprak Kala in Khorezm
- Kushans were the first rulers to issue gold coins on a large scale
- Introduced the Satrap system of government
- They controlled the Silk Route
- Worshipped both Shiva and Buddha. Some worshipped Vishnu too.
- Kanishka built a large number of Stupas
Greek ambassador Heliodors set up a pillar in honour of Vasudeva near Vidisa.
Appointed governors called strategist
Deccan
Satvanahanas
- Succeeded Mauryas in Deccan
- Brahmana rulers
- Gautamiputra Satkarni (AD 106 - 130)
- Vashishthiputra Pulimayi: Capital at Paithan
- Started the practice of granting tax-free villages to Brahmanas and Buddhist Monks
- Yajna Sri Satakarni
- Chaityas (Buddhist temples) and Viharas (monastaries) were constructed during their times
- Most famous Chaitya at Karle in Deccan
- Show trace of matrilineal social structure
- Administration
- Ahara – district
- Officials – amatyas or mahamatras
- Gaulmika – head of a small military regiment and look after administration in rural areas
- Three grades of feudatories: raja, mahabhoja, senapati
- Language: Prakrit