Ancient Indian History : General Facts about Indian rulers and historical periods

 

The Mauryan Empire (325 BC -183 BC)

Chandragupta Maurya : In 305 BC Chandragupta defeated Seleucus Nikator, who surrendered a vast territory.

 

Megasthenese was a Greek ambassador sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya by Seleucus

 

Bindusara: Bindusara extended the kingdom further and conquered the south as far as Mysore

 

Asoka : (304–232 BCE)

 

Facts about Mauryas

During Mauryan rule, though there was banking system in India. yet usury was customary and the rate of interest was 15’/’ per annum on borrowing money. In less secure transactions (like sea Voyages etc) the rate of interest could be as high as 60  per annum.

During Mauryan period, the punch marked coins (mostly of silver) were the common units of transactions.

Megasthenes in his Indies had mentioned 7 castes in Mauryan society. They were philosophers, farmers, soldiers, herdsmen, artisans, magistrates and councilors.

The Age of the Guptas (320 AD-550 AD)

 

Chandragupta I 320 - 335 AD

 

Samudragupta 335-375 AD

 

Ramagupta 375 - 380 AD

 

Chandragupta Vikramaditya 380-413 AD

 

Kumargupta Mahendraditya 415-455 AD

 

Skandagupta 455-467 AD

 

Later Guptas : Purugupia, Narasimhagupta, Baladitya. Kumargupta II, Buddhagupta, Bhanugupta, Harshagupta, Damodargupta, Mahasenagupta


Literature : Authors and Book

 

Bhasa -Svapanavasavdattam

 

Shudrak -Mrichchakatika

 

Amarkosh -Amarsimha

 

Iswara Krishna -Sankhya Karika

 

Vatsyana -Kama Sutra

 

Vishnu (Gupta -Panchatantra

 

Narayan Pandit -Hitopdesha

 

Bhattin -Ravan Vadha

 

Bhaivi -Kiratarjunyam

 

Dandin -Daskumarachanta

 

Aryabhatta -Aryabhattyan

 

Vishakha Datta -Mudura Rakshasa

 

Indrabhuti -nanassiddhi

 

Varahamihara -Panchasiddh antika, Brihad Samhita

 

Kalidas : Kalidas wrote a number of such excellent dramas like Sakuntala, Malavikagnimitram, Vikrumorvasiyatn, epics like the Raghuvamsa, and lyric poetry like the Ritu-Samhara and the Meghaduta. II the best-known work of Kalidas is his drama Sakunatala
 

The Post-Gupta Period - Harshavardhana (606-647 AD)

Pallavas (560-903 AD)

 

There is controversy regarding the origin of Pallavas. Possibly the Pallavas were a local tribe who established their authority in the Tondamadu or the land of creepers.

They were orthodox Brahmanical Hindus and their capital was at Kanchi.

Both Chalukyas and Pallavas tried to establish their supremacy over land
between Krishna and Tungahhadra.

Pallava king Narshimhavarman (630-68 AD) occupied Chalukyan capital at Vatapi in about 642 AD and assumed the title Vatapikonda.

The Chola Empire (9th-12th Century)

 

The founder of Chola Dynasty was Vijayalaya, who was at first a feudatory of the Pallavas. He captured Tanjore in 850 AD.

The greatest Chola rulers were Rajaraja (985-1014 AD) and his son Rajendra I (1014-1044 AD).

Raja built a Saiya a temple of Rajarajeshwara at Tample .

Rajendra I assumec. the title ol Gangaikondachola and built a city called Gangaikondacholapuram)

The Chola Empire was divided into Mandalams or provinces and these in turn were divided into Valanadu and Nadu.

The arrangement of local self-government has been regarded as the basic feature of the administration of Cholas.

The style of architecture which came into vogue during this period is called Dravida e.g. Kailashnath temple of Kanchipuram.

Another aspect was image making which reached its climax in dancing figure of Shiva called Natraja.

Kambama who wrote Ramavatrama was one of the greatest figures of Tamil poetry. His Ramayana is known as Kamba Ramayana.

Pampa, Ponna and Ranna are considered as three gems of Kannada poetry