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The new leaders of notable Mauryas throughout the eastern half of India, Middle India, and the Deccan featured a variety of native kings such as the Shungas and Satavahana Dynasty. Shungas defended the Gangetic valley from foreign invasions.
Shunga Kingdom (185 BC through 73 BC)
Pushyamitra Shunga, a Brahmin from the Shunga lineage, established the Shunga kingdom. His realm stretched all the way to the Narmada River on the south and included towns like the Pataliputra, Ayodhya, and Vidisha. Pataliputra has been the capital.
Divyavadana and Taranatha describe Pushyamitra as a Buddhist’s worst opponent. Pushyamitra conducted two Ashvamedhas, according to a brief Sanskrit document from Ayodhya. According to few historians, he defeated Demetrius, the Bactrian monarch.A short inscription discovered near Bharhut mentions the Shungas by title. They are related to Vidisha’s empire in this. Possibly they gained a tiny portion of the Maurya kingdom from ancient Mauryas. The Yajnas were essential in reviving Vaidika Mantra within India during the Shunga period.
Bhagabhadra, the fifth ruler, was called by Heliodorus, the Grecian diplomat. Heliodorus constructed a column in Vishnu’s glorification at Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh). The protagonist of Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitram was Shunga king Agnimitra.
The Satavahanas or the Andhras
The satavahana dynasty dominated throughout the Deccan as well as middle India. In the late 2nd BC, they took that from the Mauryans, with its center at Paithan or Pratisthan near the Godavari in the Aurangabad region.
According to the Matsya Saga, 30 Satavahana rulers reigned for 460 years. The Vayu Saga, which spans roughly 300 years, presents a more concise account of the Satavahana rule. Bana has identified Satavahanas as the ‘King of the Triple Oceans- Tri Samudra Adhipati.’The Satvahanas’ main enemy has been the Sakas, as well as Simuka has been their earliest notable monarch and founder. The family’s prosperity was regained when Gautamiputra Satakarni fought those Sakas and established the kingdom in Paithan. Gautami Balasari has the title of Gautamiputra Satakarni’s (AD 30-104) mother. She celebrates her son’s achievements with an inscription discovered in Nasik. At the time, society was matriarchal.
The Saka and Satavahana Dynasty rivalry was prevalent throughout these ages, as they fought for the dominance of solid trade networks in northern India. Trading with the Roman Empire has been highly active, as demonstrated by several Roman and Satavahana coins.Since kings did not make large numbers of gold and silver coins, the Satvahanas might have utilized gold as a precious metal. However, they mostly minted copper coins. They frequently used copper, tin, as well as bronze coinage.
They have been renowned as Brahmans, but they also served gods like Krishna, Vasudeva, and many others while also practicing Vedic rites. They did, though, promote Buddhism by gifting monks lands. The very renowned Chaitya throughout western Deccan is Karle’s Chaitya. They also contributed in sculpturing activities which can be witnessed by amaravati and nagarjunakonda stupas.They pioneered the practice of providing tax-free hamlets for Brahmanas and Buddhist priests. The Prakrit literature Gathasaptasati or Gathasaptasati is attributed to Satavahana ruler king Hala.
Conclusion
This chapter provides detailed information about the Satavahana Dynasty. In the second century BC, the satavahana dynasty ruled from Pune at Maharastra to Coastal Andhra Pradesh for 460 years.They were early issuers of Indian state coinage struck with images of their rulers.The Satavahana coins give unique indications as to their chronology, language, and even facial features. They issued mainly lead and copper coins They formed a cultural bridge and played a vital role in trade and the transfer of ideas and culture to and from the Indo-Gangetic Plain to the southern tip of India. We also get knowledge about famous rulers of this dynasty and their contributions to art and architecture.
