 Plan of Pataliputra, compared to present-day Patna | |
  Shown within India  Pataliputra (Bihar) | |
| Alternative name | Pātaliputtā (Pāli) |
|---|---|
| Location | Patna district, Bihar, India |
| Region | India |
| Coordinates | 25°36′45″N 85°7′42″E / 25.61250°N 85.12833°E |
| Altitude | 53 m (174 ft) |
| Length | 14.5 km (9.0 mi) |
| Width | 2.4 km (1.5 mi) |
| History | |
| Builder | Ajatashatru |
| Founded | 490 BCE |
| Abandoned | Became modern Patna |
| Associated with | Haryankas, Shishunagas, Nandas, Mauryans, Shungas, Guptas, Palas |
| Management | Archaeological Survey of India |
| Pilgrimage to |
| Buddha's Holy Sites |
|---|
 |
Pataliputra (IAST: Pāṭaliputra), adjacent to modern-day Patna, Bihar,[1] was a city in ancient India, originally built by Magadha ruler Ajatashatru in 490 BCE, as a small fort (Pāṭaligrāma) near the Ganges river.[2][3] Udayin laid the foundation of the city of Pataliputra at the confluence of two rivers, the Son and the Ganges. He shifted his capital from Rajgriha to Pataliputra due to the latter's central location in the empire.[citation needed]
It became the capital of major powers in ancient India, such as the Shishunaga Empire (c. 413–345 BCE), Nanda Empire (c. 460 or 420 – c. 325 BCE), the Maurya Empire (c. 320–180 BCE), the Gupta Empire (c. 320–550 CE), and the Pala Empire (c. 750–1200 CE). During the Maurya period (see below), it became one of the largest cities in the world. As per the Greek diplomat, traveler and historian Megasthenes, during the Mauryan Empire (c. 320–180 BCE) it was among the first cities in the world to have a highly efficient form of local self government.[4] The location of the site was first identified in modern times in 1892 by Laurence Waddell, published as Discovery of the Exact Site of Asoka's Classic Capital.[5] Extensive archaeological excavations have been made in the vicinity of modern Patna.[6][7] Excavations early in the 20th century around Patna revealed clear evidence of large fortification walls, including reinforcing wooden trusses.[8][9]
- ^ "Unravelling Pataliputra". The Times of India. 23 April 2023.
- ^ Kulke, Hermann; Rothermund, Dietmar (2004), A History of India, 4th edition. Routledge, Pp. xii, 448, ISBN 978-0-415-32920-0.
- ^ "It took 40 yrs to find first traces of Ashoka's Pataliputra. Now, we must find the rest". ThePrint. 18 September 2023.
- ^ Schwanbeck, E.A. (4 October 2008). Ancient India as described by Megasthenes and Arrian (First published 1657) (23 ed.). Bibliolife.
- ^ Discovery Of The Exact Site Of Asoka's Classic Capital, 1892
- ^ "Patna". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2013 <"Patna | India". Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011.>.
- ^ "Heritage wall for Metro corridor plan". Archived from the original on 22 November 2016.
- ^ "A relic of Mauryan era". The Times of India. 12 June 2012. Archived from the original on 27 November 2017.
- ^ Valerie Hansen Voyages in World History, Volume 1 to 1600, 2e, Volume 1 pp. 69 Cengage Learning, 2012