Magadhan Empire

Magadhan Empire
544 BC – 28 BC
Expansion of the Magadhan Empire between 544 BC AND 28 BC
Expansion of the Magadhan Empire between 544 BC AND 28 BC
CapitalRajagriha (Girivraj)
Later, Pataliputra (modern-day Patna)
Common languagesSanskrit[1]
Magadhi Prakrit
Ardhamagadhi Prakrit
Religion
Brahmanism (later Hinduism)
Buddhism
Jainism
Demonym(s)Māgadhī
GovernmentAbsolute monarchy[a]
Notable emperors 
• c. 544 – c. 492 BCE
Bimbisara
• c. 492 – c. 460 BCE
Ajatashatru
• c. 413 – c. 395 BCE
Shishunaga
• c. 345 – c. 329 BCE
Mahapadma Nanda
• c. 329 – c. 321 BCE
Dhana Nanda
• c. 321 – c. 297 BCE
Chandragupta Maurya
• c. 268 – c. 232 BCE
Ashoka
• c. 185 – c. 149 BCE
Pushyamitra Shunga
CurrencyPanas
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Magadha
Principality of Pataliputra
Satavahana dynasty
Vidarbha kingdom
Today part of

The Magadhan Empire was an ancient Indian empire that succeeded the Magadha Mahajanapada. It was established by Bimbisara[2] in 544 BC. It was ruled by the Haryankas (544–413 BCE), the Shaishunagas (413–345 BCE), the Nandas (345–322 BCE), the Mauryas (322–184 BCE), the Śungas (184–73 BCE), the Kanvas (73–28 BCE).[3]

Under the Mauryas, Magadha became a pan-Indian empire, covering large swaths of the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan. The Kanva dynasty lost much of its territory after being defeated by the Satavahanas of Deccan in 28 BCE and was reduced to a small principality around Pataliputra.[4][5]

  1. ^ Jain, Dhanesh (2007). "Sociolinguistics of the Indo-Aryan languages". In George Cardona; Dhanesh Jain (eds.). The Indo-Aryan Languages. Routledge. pp. 47–66, 51. ISBN 978-1-135-79711-9.
  2. ^ Sailendra Nath Sen (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. p. 114. ISBN 978-81-224-1198-0. Thus the foundation of the Magadhan empire laid by Bimbisara was now firmly established as a result of the subtle diplomacy of Ajatasatru .
  3. ^ *J. L. Jain (1994). Development and Structure of an Urban System. Mittal Publications. p. 28. ISBN 978-81-7099-552-4. The sceptre of Magadhan empire was borne successively by the Sisunagas, the Nandas, the Mauryas, the Shungas and the Kanvas from early fifth century B.C. to the first century B.C.
    • Narendra Krishna Sinha (1973). A History of India. Orient Longman. p. 107. Later in the fourth century A.D., with the rise of the second Magadhan Empire under the Guptas,
  4. ^ Keny, Liladhar (1943). ""THE SUPPOSED IDENTIFICATION OF UDAYANA OF KAUŚĀMBI WITH UDAYIN OF MAGADHA"". Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. 24 (1/2): 60–66. JSTOR 41784405.
  5. ^ Roy, Daya (1986). "SOME ASPECTS OF THE RELATION BETWEEN ANGA AND MAGADHA (600 B.C.—323 B.C.)". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 47: 108–112. JSTOR 44141530.


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