SATAVAHANAS
After the decline of the Mauryan empire the Satvahanas established their
kingdom in the Deccan.They were also known as Andhras.They first rose to
power in present Maharashtra on the banks of the Godavari.The founder of
the Satvahanas was Simuka. But the man who raised it to eminence was
Satakarni I. The Satvahana dynasty began its rule in about 40 or 30 BC,and
continued until the 3rd century AD.Satakarni I allied with powerful Marathi
chieftain and signalled his accession to power by performing ashvamedhas
(horse-sacrifice). After his death, the Satvahana power seemed to have
been submerged beneath a wave of Scythian invasion.
Reign of Gautamiputra (80 AD - 104 AD)
Gautamiputra Satakarni was the famous king during the Satvahana dynasty.
He defeated the Sakas (Scythians),Yavanas (Greeks) and Pahlavas (Parithans).
His empire extended upto Banavasi in the south, and included Maharashtra,
Konkan,Saurashtra,Malwa,west Rajasthan and Vidharbha.
His son,Vasishtiputra,ruled at Paithan on the banks of Godavari.Two other cities,
Vaijayanti (in North Kanara) and Amravati (in the Guntur district), attained
eminence during the Satvahana period. Kings succeeding Gautamiputra lost many
of their territories. But the power of Satvahanas revived under Sri Yajna
Satakarni,who was the last great king.After him, the empire began to decline.
Some scholars say the there were 19 kings of this dynasty which ruled for
300 years, while others say there were 30 kings who ruled for 456 years.The
dynasty came to an end about the middle of the third century AD.Their empire
broke up into small states ruled by the Abhiras, Chutus, Ikshvakus, Pallavas.
The Satvahana empire was divided into provinces called aharas, each under
an amatya or minister.They had a large army.Women were prominent in social
life, owned property and took part in assemblies.
|INDUS VALLEY| |VEDIC| |BUDDHIST-ERA| |ALEXANDER|
|MAURYAS| |SUNGAS| |KANVAS| |KUSHANAS|
|GUPTAS| |HARSHA| |CHALUKYAS| |CHOLAS| |PALLAVAS|
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