Textbook
Our Pasts I, II & III (Classes 6–8)
The simplest possible start: short, illustrated and the base of countless exam questions.
Magadha
Mahajanapada
Level 2
★ Major power
c. 700–321 BCE
The Mahajanapada that absorbed its rivals and became the base of the Mauryan Empire.
- Capital
- Rajagriha, later Pataliputra
- Region
- East
- Duration
- 379 years
- Main period
- Mahajanapadas
Changing extent
- c. 700 BCE — ≈ 30,000 km²
- c. 540 BCE — ≈ 50,000 km²: Anga annexed
- c. 460 BCE — ≈ 190,000 km²: Kosala, Kashi and the Vajji confederacy absorbed
- c. 345 BCE — ≈ 660,000 km²: Nanda empire: the Ganga plain from the Beas to Bengal
Approximate extent over time (solid = latest, dashed = earlier).
At a glance
Move along the chart to read any year; click a ruler or event to open the map there.
Dynasties
| Dynasty | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Haryanka Dynasty | c. 544–413 BCE | Dynasty of Bimbisara and Ajatashatru. |
| Shishunaga Dynasty | c. 413–345 BCE | Conquered Avanti; Kalashoka's reign saw the Second Buddhist Council. |
| Nanda Dynasty | c. 345–321 BCE | Rich, powerful dynasty overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya. |
Rulers
Haryanka Dynasty 544–413 BCE
- Bimbisara Kingc. 544–492 BCEAnnexed Anga; patron of the Buddha.
- Ajatashatru Kingc. 492–460 BCEDefeated the Vajji confederacy; built Pataligrama fort.
- Udayin Kingc. 460–444 BCEFounded Pataliputra as capital.
Shishunaga Dynasty 413–345 BCE
- Shishunaga Kingc. 413–395 BCEConquered Avanti.
- Kalashoka Kingc. 395–367 BCESecond Buddhist Council at Vaishali.
Nanda Dynasty 345–321 BCE
- Mahapadma Nanda Kingc. 345–329 BCECalled 'destroyer of all Kshatriyas' in the Puranas.
- Dhana Nanda Kingc. 329–321 BCELast Nanda, overthrown by Chandragupta.
Selected rulers; gaps in the list are not gaps in the dynasty.
Key events
| Year | Event | Place |
|---|---|---|
| c. 540 BCE | Bimbisara annexes Anga The first step in Magadha's expansion. |
Champa |
| c. 492 BCE | Ajatashatru becomes king of Magadha Early Buddhist and Jaina writers credited Magadha’s rise to ambitious kings — Bimbisara, Ajatashatru and Mahapadma Nanda are the best known — and their ministers. Magadha’s capital was then the fortified hill town of Rajagaha (Rajgir). |
Rajagriha |
| c. 483 BCE | First Buddhist Council at Rajagriha | Rajgir |
| c. 468 BCE | Ajatashatru defeats the Vajji confederacy | Vaishali |
| c. 460 BCE | Pataliputra becomes Magadha's capital Magadha’s capital moved from Rajagaha to Pataliputra (present-day Patna), which commanded routes of communication along the Ganga. NCERT dates the move to the fourth century BCE. |
Pataliputra |
| c. 413 BCE | Shishunaga dynasty replaces the Haryankas Shishunaga later annexed Avanti. |
Magadha |
| c. 383 BCE | Second Buddhist Council at Vaishali The Buddha’s teachings were not written down in his lifetime; NCERT notes that his disciples compiled them at a council of senior monks at Vesali (Vaishali), and the compilations became the Tipitaka, the ‘three baskets’. |
Vaishali |
| c. 345 BCE | Mahapadma Nanda founds the Nanda dynasty Mahapadma Nanda rose to prominence in Magadha and founded the Nanda dynasty. He unified many smaller kingdoms, extended his rule across parts of eastern and northern India and issued his own coins. |
Pataliputra |
Sites & monuments
Pataliputra
Capital / fort · c. 490 BCE
Capital of Magadha, the Mauryas and the Guptas.
📚 Recommended reading on the Magadha
Textbook
Themes in Indian History, Parts I–III (Class 12)
Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.
Textbook
An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I (Class 11)
The standard base for art and architecture questions — stupas, temples and sculpture.
Textbook
India's Ancient Past
The expanded version of the classic old-NCERT ancient India text; clear and exam-friendly.
We may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. See all recommended books →
📄 Research papers
Paper🏛 Library access
🇮🇳 Indian scholarship
The Basis of Ancient Indian History (I)
Kosambi's method: reading ancient Indian history through how people produced and lived, with evidence from the field.
🕸 Connections 12 links
Explore connections full screen ↗Everything on YugMap linked to this page — and why. Hover a dot in the graph, or pick from the list.
🗂 Era 1
- Ancient IndiaPart of this era
⏳ Periods 1
- MahajanapadasBelongs to this period
🏛 Kingdoms & empires 4
- Haryanka Dynasty 544–413 BCEDynastic phase
- Shishunaga Dynasty 413–345 BCEDynastic phase
- Nanda Dynasty 345–321 BCEDynastic phase
- Anuradhapura Kingdom 437 BCE – 1017Existed at the same time (116 years)
📍 Places & sites 1
- Pataliputra c. 490 BCEA place of this polity
🔧 Technology 2
- Paddy transplantation c. 600–500 BCEMade or discovered in this time
- Punch-marked coins c. 600–500 BCEMade or discovered in this time
📄 Research 1
- The Basis of Ancient Indian History (I) D. D. Kosambi · 1955Research on this topic
📚 Books 2
- Our Pasts I, II & III (Classes 6–8) NCERTRecommended reading
- Themes in Indian History, Parts I–III (Class 12) NCERTRecommended reading
Contemporaries
Powers that coexisted with the Magadha for a significant part of its history. The bar shows when, within its own span.
Anuradhapura Kingdom ★
Sri Lanka · c. 437 BCE – c. 1017
Overlap: 116 years
Kuru
North · c. 1,200–350 BCE
Overlap: 350 years
Gandhara
Northwest · c. 1,200–518 BCE
Overlap: 182 years
Panchala
Gangetic Plain · c. 1,100–350 BCE
Overlap: 350 years
Kosala
Gangetic Plain · c. 1,100–460 BCE
Overlap: 240 years
Videha
East · c. 1,100–600 BCE
Overlap: 100 years
Matsya
West · c. 1,100–350 BCE
Overlap: 350 years
Later Vedic Polities
Gangetic Plain · c. 1,000–600 BCE
Overlap: 100 years
Kashi
Gangetic Plain · c. 1,000–500 BCE
Overlap: 200 years
Chedi
Central · c. 1,000–300 BCE
Overlap: 379 years
Vatsa
Gangetic Plain · c. 1,000–400 BCE
Overlap: 300 years
Avanti
Central · c. 1,000–345 BCE
Overlap: 355 years
Surasena
North · c. 800–350 BCE
Overlap: 350 years
Kamboja
Northwest · c. 800–330 BCE
Overlap: 370 years
Anga
East · c. 700–540 BCE
Overlap: 160 years
Assaka / Asmaka
Deccan · c. 700–350 BCE
Overlap: 350 years
Kalinga
East · c. 700–261 BCE
Overlap: 379 years
Vajji / Vrijji Confederacy
East · c. 600–468 BCE
Overlap: 132 years
Malla
Gangetic Plain · c. 600–400 BCE
Overlap: 200 years
Achaemenid Gandhara & Hindush
Northwest · c. 518–330 BCE
Overlap: 188 years
Early Pandyas (Sangam era)
South · c. 400 BCE – c. 300 CE
Overlap: 79 years