Gupta Empire

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Gupta Empire
c. 319 CE–c. 550 CE
Map of the Gupta Empire c. 420 CE, according to Joseph E. Schwartzberg, with contemporary polities[1]
Status	Empire
Capital	Pataliputra Ujjain Ayodhya[2][3]
Common languages	Sanskrit (literary and academic); Prakrit (vernacular)
Religion	Hinduism (official) Buddhism Jainism
Government	Monarchy
Maharajadhiraja
• c. Early 3rd century CE	Gupta (first)
• c. 280-319 CE	Ghatotkacha
• c. 319-335 CE	Chandragupta I
• c. 335-375 CE	Samudragupta
• c. 375-415 CE	Chandragupta II
• c. 415-455 CE	Kumaragupta I
• c. 455-467 CE	Skandagupta
• c. 540-550 CE	Vishnugupta (last)
Historical era	Ancient India
• Established	c. 319 CE
• Disestablished	c. 550 CE
Area
400 est.[4] (high-end estimate of peak area)	3,500,000 km2 (1,400,000 sq mi)
440 est.[5] (low-end estimate of peak area)	1,700,000 km2 (660,000 sq mi)
Currency	Dinars, Cowries
Preceded by Succeeded by Western Satraps Nagas of Padmavati Mahameghavahana dynasty Murunda dynasty Later Guptas Paramara dynasty Vardhana dynasty Maukhari Gurjara kingdoms
Today part of	India Pakistan Bangladesh Nepal Afghanistan

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The Gupta Empire was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 AD and covered most of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The time of the Gupta Empire is reffered to as Golden Age of science, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy in South Asia. The kings of this dynasty favour Hinduism.

We get plenty of information about this dynasty through coins, inscriptions, monuments, and Sanskrit writings. The Gupta rulers were great conquerors and good administrators. This brought on a series of invasions that weakened the empire, but many of their cultural and intellectual achievements were saved and transmitted to other cultures and live on today. Fa Hien visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II and stayed in this country for several years.

People lived a simple life. Commodities were affordable and all round prosperity ensured that their requirements were met easily. They preferred vegetarianism and shunned alcoholic beverages. Gold and silver coins were issued in great numbers which is a general indicative of the health of the economy. Trade and commerce flourished both within the country and outside. Silk, cotton, spices, medicine, priceless gemstones, pearl, precious metal and steel were exported by sea.

1. ↑ Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 145, map XIV.1 (j); p.25. ISBN 0226742210. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
2. ↑ Bakker, Hans (1984), Ayodhya, Part 1: The History of Ayodhya from the seventh century BC to the middle of the 18th century, Groningen: Egbert Forsten, p. 12, ISBN 90-6980-007-1
3. ↑ * Hans T. Bakker (1982). "The rise of Ayodhya as a place of pilgrimage". Indo-Iranian Journal. 24 (2): 105. doi:10.1163/000000082790081267. S2CID 161957449. During the reign of either the emperor Kumāragupta or, more probably , that of his successor Skandagupta ( AD 455–467 ), the capital of the empire was moved from Pāțaliputra to Ayodhyā...
4. ↑ Turchin, Peter; Adams, Jonathan M.; Hall, Thomas D (December 2006). "East-West Orientation of Historical Empires". Journal of World-Systems Research. 12 (2): 223. doi:10.5195/JWSR.2006.369. ISSN 1076-156X.
5. ↑ Taagepera, Rein (1979). "Size and Duration of Empires: Growth-Decline Curves, 600 B.C. to 600 A.D". Social Science History. 3 (3/4): 121. doi:10.2307/1170959. JSTOR 1170959.