POST-MAURYAN DYNASTIES

SUNGAS AND KANVAS

➮ Pushyamitra laid the foundation of the Sunga dynasty.
➮ Pushyamitra killed the last Mauryan ruler Brihdrath in 185 B.C.
➮ Patanjali, Malavikagnimitram was a contemporary of Pushyamitra Sunga.
➮ The last Sunga king was Devabhuti.

THE SATVAHANA DYNASTY

➮ The Puranas speak only of Andhra rule and not of Satvahana rule.
➮ Simuka was the first Satvahana king.
➮ They issued mostly coins of lead.
➮ They were the successors of the Mauryans in the Deccan and the central India.
➮ Gautamiputra Satkarni (106-130 A.D.) called himself the only Brahamana.
➮ His achievements are recorded in Nasik Inscription.
➮ Nasik Inscription belongs to his mother Gautami Balasri.
➮ Satvahanas were the first rulers to make land grants to Brahamanas.
➮ Prakrit text Gathasaptashati is attributed to Satvahana king Hala.
➮ They had brisk trade with Romans.
➮ Nasik and Nanaghat are important inscription of the Satvahana period.

THE INDO-GREEKS

➮ A series of invasions from central Asia began around 200 B.C.
➮ The first to cross the Hindukush were the Indo–Greeks.
➮ The most famous Indo-Greek ruler was Menander (165-145 B.C.). His capital was Sakala or Sialkot.
➮ Menander was converted to Buddhism by Nagasena or Nagarjuna.
➮ The conversation between the two is recorded in a book named ‘Milindapanho’, or question of Milinda.
➮ Indo–Greeks were the first to issue gold coins in India.
➮ They were the first rulers in India to issue coins definitely attributed to the kings.
➮ They also introduced practice of military governorship. The governors were called ‘Strategos’.

THE SAKAS

➮ The Greeks were followed by the Sakas.
➮ They are referred to as scythians.
➮ The Saka poured into India through the Bolan Pass.
➮ The earliest Indian textual reference to the Sakas are found in the Mahabhasya.
➮ The most famous of the Saka rulers was Rudradaman (130- 152 A.D.)
➮ His achievements are highlighted in his Junagarh Inscription.
➮ It is the first major inscription to be written in Sanskrit.
➮ It records the repair of Sudarshan lake undertook by his officers.

THE KUSHAN DYNASTY

➮ They are referred to as Yuch- Chis or Tocharians.
➮ They belonged to one of the five clans of the Yuch-Chis tribe.
➮ They came from North Central Asia near China. Their empire included a good part of central Asia a portion of Iran a portion of Afghanistan, Pakistan and almost the whole of North India.
➮ Kanishka (78-144 A.D.) started the Shaka era (78 A.D.)
➮ His two capitals were Purushpura (Peshawar) and Mathura.
➮ Charak was the court physician of Kanishka.
➮ Fourth Buddhist Council was held under his patronage at Kundalvan.
➮ Kanishka controlled the famous Silk route in central Asia.
➮ The Gandhara School of art recieved royal patronage of the Kushans.
➮ Kanishka provided patronage to Ashvaghosha and Nagarjuna.