Commemorative coin of Chandragupta and his Licchavi Queen Kumaradevi, minted circa 335–375 CE. Obverse: Kumaradeva and Chandragupta standing, legend to the left Śrī Kumāradevā, to the right /Cha-ndra/gu-pta vertically. Reverse: Goddess seated on lion, with the legend 𑁊 Li-ccha-va-yah.[3]
The Licchavis of Nepal (Nepali: लिच्छवि, also Lichchhavi, Lichavi) ruled over a kingdom in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal from approximately 450 to 750 CE. The Licchavi clan originated from a branch of the Licchavis of Vaishali who ruled in the territory of modern-day Bihar and who later conquered the Kathmandu Valley.[4][5][6] The Licchavis were ruled by a maharaja, aided by a prime minister and other royal officials, but in practice local communities were controlled by caste councils.[7]
The ruling period of this dynasty was called the Golden Period of Nepal. A table of the evolution of certain Gupta characters used in Licchavi inscriptions prepared by Gautamavajra Vajrācārya can be found online.[8]