The Sungas

THE SUNGAS

The Sunga Empire was established upon the fall of the MauryasThe Sungas ruled Magadha from c. 185 BCE to c. 73 BCE
• The capital of the Sungas were Pataliputra and Vidisha (Besnagar)
• The founder of the Sunga dynasty was Pushyamitra Sunga
• His son, Agnimitra Sunga, was the hero of Kalidasa’s drama Malavikaagnimitra
• Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and Mahabhasya were composed during this period
• The Sungas were succeeded by the Kanvas in about 73 BCE

THE SATAVAHANAS

• The Satavahanas were a dynasty that ruled central India from c. 230 BCE to c. 220 CE
• The Satavahanas are also known as Andhras. They were among the earliest adopters of Telugu
• The capital cities of the Satavahanas were Kotilingala (Karimnagar), Pune, Paithan
• The founder of the Satavahana dynasty was Simuka (c. 230 – 207 BCE)
• Other important rulers of the Satavahana dynasty include Satakarni (c. 180 – 124 BCE) and Gautamiputra Satakarni (78 – 106 CE)
• The Satavahana king Hala (c 20 – 24 CE) is famous for compiling the collection of Maharashtri poems called Gaha Sattasai
• The Buddhist stupa at Amaravati was built by the Satavahanas c. 200 CE

THE INDO-GREEKS
About Indo-Greeks

• The Indo-Greeks were descendants of Greek armies that had invaded India during and after the reign Alexander the Great
• The Indo-Greek kingdom was established by the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius c. 180 BCE
• The kingdom roughly covered the region between eastern Afghanistan in the west to Punjab in the east an northern Afghanistan in the north to Sind in the south
• The Indo-Greeks combined elements of Greek and Indian languages and religions, producing a fusion of Greek, Hindu and Buddhist practices
• The Indo-Greeks were known as Yavanas in Indian literature
• The Indo-Greek kingdoms dissolved in about 10 CE following conquests by Indo-Scythians
• Indo-Greeks were the first to issue gold coins in India
• Heliodorus was the Ambassador of the Indo-Greek king Antialcidas to the court of Bhaghabadra Sunga. Heliodorus is famous for erecting the Heliodorus Pillar at Sanchi, in honour of god Vasudeva in about 110 BCE

Indo-Greek rule

• Alexander the Great invaded Indian in 326 BCE, while retreating left Greek satrapies in the northwest
• Alexander also established Greek colonies in Bactria (central Asia)
• In about c. 180 BCE, following the collapse of the Mauryan Empire, the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius I invaded northwest India and established Indo-Greek rule
• The Indo-Greek king Menander I (c. 155 – 130 BCE) embraced Buddhism under the sage Nagasena
• Menander I, also known as Milinda, was the most successful Indo-Greek king
• The Milinda Panha is a Buddhist text that records a conversation between Menander and his sage Nagasena
• Most coins in Greek India were bilingual – Greek and Pali
• In addition to traditional Greek religion, the Indo-Greeks practiced Buddhism, Hinduism and Zoroastrianism
• Their rule introduced features of Hellenistic art in India, which later developed into Gandhara art

THE INDO-SCYTHIANS
About Indo-Scythians

• The Indo-Scythians were a branch of Scythians that migrated from southern Siberia into Bactria, Afghanistan and northwest India
• Indo-Scythian rule in India was established around c. 200 BCE and ended around 400 CE
• The first ruler was Maues (Moga) while the last was Rudrasimha III (who belonged to the Western Satraps)
• Indo-Scythians migrated and invaded India following their nomadic flight from Central Asia due to conflict with Chinese tribes
• Scythian invasions from Central Asia had profound effect not only on India, but also on Bactria, Parthia and Rome
• The Sakas were a particular tribe of Indo-Scythians. However, in Indian literature all Indo-Scythians came to be known as Sakas
• The Junagarh inscription written in 150 CE is the first major inscription to be written in Sanskrit. It was written by the Saka ruler Rudra Daman I

Indo-Scythian rule

• Indo-Scythians were Buddhists and followed Indo-Greek practices to a large extent
• Indo-Scythian holdings in India were divided mainly into four regions:
• Sind
• Gandhara and Punjab
• Northern Satraps (around Mathura)
• Western Satraps (around Gujarat)
• The Bimaran Casket, one of the earliest representations of the Buddha, is attributed to Indo-Scythian king Azes II (around 15 BCE)
• The Mathura Lion Capital (1^st century CE) is also attributed to the Indo-Scythians

THE INDO-PARTHIANS

• The Indo-Parthians were a branch of Parthians that ruled northwestern India in the first century CE
• They ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan and Haryana, Punjab and Kashmir from about 12 BCE to about 100 CE
• The Indo-Parthian kingdom was established by Gondophares I
• The empire began to fragment following his death
• Their main religion was Zoroastrianism

THE KUSHANAS
About the Kushanas

• The Kushan Empire ruled Bactria, western China and much of northern India in the 1^st to 3^rd centuries CE
• The Kushans were an Indo-European people based in Bactria and western China.
• They belonged to the Yuezhi tribal confederation, which was forced out from western China, and moved into Scythian realms in Bactria. Consequently, the Scythians were forced out and migrated southwards to India and westwards towards Parthia and Rome
• The Kushan Empire was founded by Kujula Kadphises in about c 60 CE

The rule of Kanishka

• Kanishka was the most important Kushana ruler (127 CE – 151 CE)
• The Kushana Empire reached its maximum extent under Kanishka – it extended from north of the Oxus (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan) to Mathura, including northwest India and Kashmir
• His main capital was at Peshawar, with supplementary capitals at Taxila, Bagram (Afghanistan) and Mathura
• Kanishka convened the Fourth Buddhist Council in about 100 CE in Kashmir
• The advisor of Kanishka was a Buddhist monk called Asvaghosha
• The Rabatak inscription at Rabatak in Afghanistan is attributed to Kanishka. The inscription, written in Bactrian and Greek, gives remarkable clues regarding the lineage of the Kushan dynasty
• The Kanishka Stupa at Peshawar was established by Kanishka. The base of the stupa contained the Kanishka Casket, which contained three bone fragments of the Buddha. The relics of the Buddha are now in display in Mandalay, while the casket itself is housed at the Peshawar Museum

THE GUPTA EMPIRE

Overview

The Gupta Empire. Territories added by the emperors and the Hun invasions that ultimately destroyed the empire

• The Gupta Empire c.320 CE to c. 550 CE covered much of the Indian subcontinent
• It was founded in c.320 CE by Sri Gupta
• Important rulers of the Gupta empire were Chandra Gupta I, Samudra Gupta and Chandra Gupta II
• The Gupta period is known as the Golden Age of India due to scientific and artistic achievements made possible by the sustained peace and prosperity
• The Gupta Empire is also known for the poet Kalidasa, the writing of the Puranas and the astronomers Varahamihira and Aryabhata
• The Empire collapsed in the 6^th century CE following sustained invasions of Huns from Central Asia
• The Chinese travellers Fa Hsien and Yijing visited India during the reign of the Guptas

IMPORTANT GUPTA EMPERORS

1.        Chandra Gupta I

1.        The Gupta dynasty first rose to eminence under Chandra Gupta I

2.        He ruled c. 319 CE – c. 335 CE

3.        Chandra Gupta rose to prominence with his marriage to Kumaradevi, a Licchhavi princess (who were the main power in Magadha)

4.        Chandra Gupta established a realm stretching from Pataliputra to Prayaga (Allahabad)

5.        The Gupta Era, which commenced on 26 Feb 320 CE is attributed to the accession of Chandra Gupta I

2.        Samudra Gupta

1.        Samudra Gupta succeeded his father Chandra Gupta I

2.        He ruled c 335 CE – 380 CE

3.        His kingdom stretched from the Himalayas in the north to the Narmada in the south and the Brahmaputra in the east to the Yamuna in the west

4.        Samudra Gupta is known as the Napoleon of India. He is considered to be the one of the greatest military geniuses in Indian history

5.        Samudra Gupta granted permission to the Ceylon king Meghavarman to build a Buddhist monastery in Bodh Gaya

6.        Samudra Gupta performed the Ashvamedha Yaga to underline the importance of his conquests

7.        The Samudra Gupta Prashasti, inscribed on the Asoka Pillar, was authored by Harisena. It is an important source of information regarding his reign

8.        Important scholars at his court were Harisena, Vasubandu and Asanga

3.        Chandra Gupta II

1.        Chandra Gupta II succeeded the Gupta throne after his father Samudra Gupta

2.        He ruled 380 CE – 413 CE

3.        Chandra Gupta expanded the empire westwards by defeating the Western Satraps (Sakas)

4.        The Gupta Empire achieved its greatest extent under Chandra Gupta II, stretching up to the Indus in the west

5.        The court of Chandra Gupta II was graced by the Navaratnas – a group of nine literary experts, including Kalidasa and Varahamira

6.        The Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hsien visited India during the reign of Chandra Gupta II

7.        Chandra Gupta II is also known as Vikramaditya

8.        The Vikram-Samvat calendar marks the coronation of Chandra Gupta II

9.        The iron pillar near the Qutub Minar (Delhi) was erected by Kumara Gupta, in memory of Chandra Gupta II. Made of 98% wrought iron, it has stood more than 1600 years without rusting or decomposing

SOCIETY IN THE GUPTA EMPIRE

• The division of society into the four classes was formalized
• However, marriage rules were elastic
• There were multiple types of marriages
• Brahma marriage: a duly dowreyed girl given in marriage to a man of the same class
• Prajapatya marriage: marriage without dowry
• Arsa marriage: token price of a cow and bull is given instead of dowry
• Daiva marriage: girl given to priest in lieu of his fees
• Asura marriage: marriage by purchase
• Rakshasa marriage: marriage by capture
• Paisacha marriage: marriage by abduction
• Gandharva marriage: love marriage

CULTURAL LEGACY OF THE GUPTA EMPIRE

The iron pillar at Delhi erected by Chandra Gupta II has defied corrosion for over 1600 years

• Aryabhata came up with the concept of zero, and postulated that the Earth revolves around the Sun, and determined the cause of eclipses
• The works of Kalidasa marked the highest point of Sanskrit literature
• Chess originated in the Gupta period
• Indian numerals, the world’s first base 10 numeral system, originated in the Gupta Empire
• The Kama Sutra was written by Vatsayana in the Gupta period
• Varahamihira postulated that moon revolves around the sun

About Aryabhata

• Arybhata (476-550 CE) was the first in a line of great mathematicians-astronomers in India
• His famous works are the Arbhatiyam and the Arya-Siddhanta
• His discoveries in mathematics include
• Value and irrationality of Pi
• Area of a triangle, concept of sine
• Sum of series
• Intermediate equations
• His discoveries relating to astronomy include
• Postulated Heliocentrism i.e. planets revolve around the Sun
• Calculated sidereal rotation (24 hrs) and sidereal year (365 days)
• Computed earth’s circumference
• Discovered cause of eclipses

THE NAVARATNAS IN VIKRAMADITYA’S COURT

Person	Author of	Famous for
Dhanvantari		One of the world’s first surgeons Discovered antiseptic properties of turmeric and preservative properties of salt Pioneer of plastic surgery
Kshapanak
Amarasimha	Amara-Kosha	Thesaurus of Sanskrit
Shanka
Vetal Bhatt
Ghat Karpar
Varahamihira	Pancha-Siddhantika Brihat-Samhita	Postulated that the moon revolves around the Sun
Kalidasa	Three plays, four poems including Abhijanashakuntalam, Malavikagnimitram, Kumarasambhava, Raghuvamsa	One of the most famous literary figures in Sanskrit