Satavahana Empire
If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here:All Statistics
An ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region.
Establishment
January 149 BC: The origin of the Satavahana dynasty is uncertain, but according to the Puranas, their first king overthrew the Kanva dynasty.
Chronology
Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation
1. Events
January 140 BC: After the death of Agnimitra, the second king of the dynasty, the empire rapidly disintegrated: inscriptions and coins indicate that much of northern and central India consisted of small kingdoms and city-states that were independent of any Shunga hegemony.
January 99 BC: The Satavahana Empire, founded by Simuka, overthrew the Kanva dynasty in -100. The Satavahanas were a prominent dynasty in ancient India, known for their contributions to trade, art, and culture.
January 99 BC: The Mitra dynasty of Kosambi emerged around 100 BC. It was centered on the city of Kosambi at the Vatsa region.
January 72 BC: The Arjunayana Republic emerged as a political power during the Shunga period.
January 69 BC: Indian kings reconquered the Mathura area and southeastern Punjab, west of the Yamuna River.
January 59 BC: The Indo-Scythians, led by King Azes II, defeated the Indian kings in the Mathura area in 60 BC. This marked the expansion of the Indo-Scythian Kingdom in northern India.
January 59 BC: The Northern Satraps, a dynasty of Indo-Scythian rulers, took control of Eastern Punjab and Mathura after the Indo-Greeks.
January 49 BC: The Yuga Purana describes an invasion of Pataliputra by the Scythians, led by the Indo-Scythian King Azes I, in -50. Pataliputra was the capital of the Maurya Empire at the time, ruled by King Vikramaditya.
January 29 BC: Their dynasty was brought to an end by the Satavahanas.
January 2: The Western Kshatrapa ruler Nahapana controlled the northern Deccan plateau, the northern Konkan coastal plains, and the mountain passes connecting these two regions.
January 41: During 15-40 CE the Western Satraps of Malwa and Konkan extended their influence into the northern Deccan plateau, the northern Konkan coastal plains, and the mountain passes connecting these two regions.
January 51: The Satavahana power was revived by Gautamiputra Satakarni, who is considered the greatest of the Satavahana rulers. Charles Higham dates his reign c. 103 - c. 127 CE. S. Nagaraju dates it 106-130 CE, the new consensus is shared by Shailendra Bhandare, Akira Shimada, and Oskar von Hinuber, who regard Gautamiputra Satakarni's reign was ca. 60-85 CE, Andrew Ollett considers it as 60-84 CE. The king defeated by him appears to have been the Western Kshatrapa ruler Nahapana, as suggested by Nahapana's coins overstuck with names and titles of Gautamiputra. The Nashik prashasti inscription of Gautamiputra's mother Gautami Balashri, dated to the 20th year after his death, records his achievements. The most liberal interpretation of the inscription suggests that his kingdom extended from the present-day Rajasthan in the north to Krishna river in the south, and from Saurashtra in the west to Kalinga in the east. He assumed the titles Raja-Raja (King of Kings) and Maharaja (Great King), and was described as the Lord of Vindhya.
January 79: A new dynasty, called the Bhadramukhas or Kardamaka dynasty, was established by the "Satrap" Castana. The date of Castana is not certain, but many believe his reign started in the year 78 CE, thus making him the founder of the Saka era. The territory of the Western Satraps at the time of Chastana is described extensively by the geographer Ptolemy in his "Geographia", where he qualifies them as "Indo-Scythians". He describes this territory as starting from Patalene in the West, to Ujjain in the east ("Ozena-Regia Tiastani", "Ozene/Ujjain, capital of king Chastana"), and beyond Barigaza in the south.
January 84: The Kushan Dynasty, led by the Nagvanshis of Chotanagpur, ruled the Chota Nagpur plateau region in 83 AD. The Nagvanshis were a prominent Rajput clan.
January 101: Nahapana became a very powerful ruler. He occupied portions of the Satavahana empire in western and central India. Nahapana held sway over Malwa, Southern Gujarat, and Northern Konkan, from Bharuch to Sopara and the Nasik and Poona districts.
January 101: South Kosala was later conquered by Gautamiputra Satakarni of the Satavahana dynasty in the early part of the 2nd century CE.
January 101: Gautamiputra was succeeded by his son Vasisthiputra Sri Pulamavi (or Pulumayi). According to Sailendra Nath Sen, Pulumavi ruled from 96-119 CE. According to Charles Higham, he ascended the throne around 110 CE, according to Shailendra Bhandare, Akira Shimada, and Oskar von Hinuber Vasisthiputra Sri Pulamavi ruled ca. 85-125 CE, and Andrew Ollett considers it to be ca. 84-119 CE. Pulumavi features in a large number of Satavahana inscriptions and his coins have been found distributed over a wide area. This indicates that he maintained Gautamiputra's territory, and ruled a prosperous kingdom. He is believed to have added the Bellary region to Satakarni's kingdom.
February 101: Nahapana and Ushavadata were ultimately defeated by the powerful Satavahana king Gautamiputra Satakarni. Gautamiputra drove the Sakas from Malwa and Western Maharashtra, forcing Nahapana west to Gujarat. His victory is known from the fact that Gautamiputra restruck many of Nahapana's coins (such a hoard was found in Jogalthambi, Nashik District) and that he claimed victory on them in an inscription at Cave No. 3 of the Pandavleni Caves in Nashik.
January 102: As a result of his victories, Rudradaman regained all the former territories previously held by Nahapana, except for the extreme south territories of Pune and Nasik. Satavahana dominions were limited to their original base in the Deccan and eastern central India around Amaravati.
January 126: The Chutu Dynasty assumed sovereignty after the decline of the Satavahana power. The Chutus ruled a kingdom centered around the city Banavasi in present-day Karnataka for over two centuries, from c. 125 CE.
January 131: Rudradaman regained all the previous territories held by Nahapana, probably with the exception of the southern areas of Poona and Nasik .
January 151: Andrew Ollett considers it as 60-84 CE. The king defeated by him appears to have been the Western Kshatrapa ruler Nahapana, as suggested by Nahapana's coins overstuck with names and titles of Gautamiputra.
January 151: According to tradition Kanker was founded in the early 2nd century by Raja Satkarni of the Satavahana dynasty.
February 151: Rudradaman regained all the former territories previously held by Nahapana, except for the extreme south territories of Pune and Nasik. Satavahana dominions were limited to their original base in the Deccan and eastern central India around Amaravati.
January 181: The south Indian ruler Yajna Sri Satakarni (170-199 CE) of the Satavahana dynasty defeated the Western Satraps in the late 2nd century CE, thereby reconquering their southern regions in western and central India, which led to the decline of the Western Satraps.
January 191: Sri Yajna Sātakarni, the last person belonging to the main Satavahana dynastic line, recovered much of the territory lost to the Western Kshatrapas, and issued silver coinage, imitating them.
January 200: During the last years of his reign, the Abhiras captured the northern parts of the kingdom, around Nashik region.
January 201: During the last years of his reign, the Abhiras, a tribe of ancient India, captured the northern parts of the kingdom, specifically the Nashik region. The Abhiras were known for their military prowess and were able to expand their territory during this time.
January 201: The Nagas rose to power after the decline of the Kushan Empire in north-central India, in the early 3rd century.
January 201: With the strengthening of the power of the Kadambas in Banavasi, the Alups became their vassals.
January 201: It was during the second and third century AD that the Meghas or Meghavahanas reappeared in the political scene and regained their suzerainty over South Kosala.
January 201: Sri Yajna Sātakarni, the last person belonging to the main Satavahana dynastic line, briefly revived the Satavahana rule. According to S. N. Sen, he ruled during 170-199 CE. Charles Higham dates the end of his reign to 181 CE. His coins feature images of ships, which suggest naval and marine trade success. Wide distribution of his coins, and inscriptions at Nashik, Kanheri and Guntur indicate that his rule extended over both eastern and western parts of Deccan. He recovered much of the territory lost the Western Kshatrapas, and issued silver coinage, imitating them.
January 204: The Abhiras were from the Abhira clan and among the successors of the Satavahanas in the Western Deccan.
Disestablishment
January 226: After the death of king Pulumavi IV, the Satavahana empire fragmented into five smaller kingdoms. The eastern part (Krishna-Guntur region) was ruled by the Andhra Ikshvakus.
January 226: After the death of king Pulumavi IV, the Satavahana empire fragmented into five smaller kingdoms. The south-western parts (northern Karanataka) were ruled by the Chutus of Banavasi.
January 226: After the death of king Pulumavi IV, the Satavahana empire fragmented into five smaller kingdoms. The south-eastern part was ruled by the Pallavas.
January 226: After the death of Pulumavi IV, the Satavahana empire fragmented into five smaller kingdoms:
- Northern part, ruled by a collateral branch of the Satavahanas (which ended in early 4th century)
- Western part around Nashik, ruled by the Abhiras
- Eastern part (Krishna-Guntur region), ruled by the Andhra Ikshvakus
- South-western parts (northern Karanataka), ruled by the Chutus of Banavasi
- South-eastern part, ruled by the Pallavas.
January 226: After the death of Pulumavi IV, the Satavahana empire fragmented into five smaller kingdoms. The South-eastern part, was ruled by the Pallavas.
January 226: After the death of king Pulumavi IV, the Satavahana empire fragmented into five smaller kingdoms. The northern part, was ruled by a collateral branch of the Satavahanas (which ended in early 4th century).
