Shunga EmpireIndian empire (185–73 BCE)Today part ofIndiaBangladeshNepalPakistanThe Shunga Empire (IAST: Śuṅga) was a ruling entity centred around Magadha and controlled most of the northern Indian subcontinent from around 187 to 75 BCE. The dynasty was established by Pushyamitra, after taking the throne of Magadha from the Mauryas. The Shunga empire's capital was Pataliputra, but later emperors such as Bhagabhadra also held court at Besnagar (modern Vidisha) in eastern Malwa.
Pushyamitra ShungaPushyamitra Shunga (IAST: Puṣyamitra Śuṅga; reigned c. 185 – c. 149 BCE), also known as Pushpamitra Shunga (IAST: Puṣpamitra Śuṅga) was the founder and the first ruler of the Shunga Empire which he established to succeed the Maurya Empire. Pushyamitra's association with the Brahmanical tradition is displayed by his performance of the Vedic Ashvamedha sacrifice as recorded in the Dhanadeva Ayodhya inscription.
Maurya EmpireAncient Indian empire (c. 321–185 BCE)Today part ofSouth AsiaThe Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia with its power base in Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya around c. 320 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The primary sources for the written records of the Mauryan times are partial records of the lost history of Megasthenes in Roman texts of several centuries later; and the Edicts of Ashoka.Yuga PuranaThe Yuga Purana is a Sanskrit text and the last chapter of a Jyotisha (astrology) text Vriddhagargiya Samhita. It is also considered a minor text in the Puranic literature.
KosalaKosala (IPA: [koːɕɐlɐ], Sanskrit: कोशल, sometimes referred to as Uttara Kosala (lit. 'Northern Kosala') was one of the Mahajanapadas of ancient India. It emerged as a small state during the Late Vedic period and became (along with Magadha) one of the earliest states to transition from a lineage-based society to a monarchy. By the 6th century BCE, it had consolidated into one of the four great powers of ancient northern India, along with Magadha, Vatsa, and Avanti.
MathuraMathura (Braj pronunciation: [mɐ.t̪ʰʊ.ɾäː] ) is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located 162 kilometres (101 mi) south-east of Delhi; and about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the town of Vrindavan. In ancient times, Mathura was an economic hub, located at the junction of important caravan routes. The 2011 Census of India estimated the population of Mathura at 441,894.
Hans T. BakkerHans T. Bakker (born 1948) is a cultural historian and Indologist, who has served as the Professor of the History of Hinduism and Jan Gonda Chair at the University of Groningen. He worked in the British Museum as a researcher in the project "Beyond Boundaries: Religion, Region, Language and the State".VasumitraVasumitra (or Sumitra, according to the d manuscript of the Matsya Purana) (r. 131 – 124 BCE; died 124 BCE) was the fourth Shunga Emperor, who reigned from 131 to 124 BCE. He was the son of Emperor Agnimitra by his empress-consort Dharini and the brother or half-brother of Emperor Vasujyesththa and the step son of Empress Mālavikā, the third wife of Emperor Agnimitra.
AyodhyaCity in Uttar Pradesh, IndiaCity in Uttar Pradesh, IndiaAyodhya (Hindi: Ayodhyā, pronounced ) is a city situated on the banks of the Sarayu river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ayodhya district as well as the Ayodhya division of Uttar Pradesh, India. Ayodhya became the top tourist destination of Uttar Pradesh with 110 million visitors in the first half of 2024, surpassing Varanasi.
IndiaCountry in South AsiaIndia, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the world's seventh-largest country by area and the largest by population. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is near Sri Lanka and the Maldives.Ayodhya Inscription of DhanaAyodhya Inscription of Dhana is a stone inscription related to a Hindu Deva king named Dhana or Dhana–deva of the 1st-century BCE or 1st century CE. He ruled from the city of Ayodhya, Kosala, in India. His name is found in ancient coins and the inscription.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.