Anuradhapura Kingdom

Kingdom Level 2 ★ Major power

c. 437 BCE – c. 1017

Sri Lanka's first great kingdom; Buddhism arrived with Mahinda in Devanampiya Tissa's reign.

🗺 See on map in 290 CE

Capital: Anuradhapura
Region: Sri Lanka
Duration: 1,453 years
Main period: Post-Mauryan Powers

Approximate extent.

Rulers

Pandukabhaya King
Traditional founder of Anuradhapura.
c. 437–367 BCE
Devanampiya Tissa King
Received Mahinda; Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
c. 247–207 BCE
Dutugemunu King
Built the Ruwanwelisaya.
c. 161–137 BCE
Vattagamani Abhaya King
Pali Canon written down.
c. 89–77 BCE
Mahasena King
Great tank builder.
c. 274 CE – c. 301 CE
Dhatusena King
Kalawewa reservoir.
c. 455 CE – c. 473 CE
Kashyapa I King
Built Sigiriya.
c. 477 CE – c. 495 CE
Mahinda V King
Captured by the Cholas.
c. 982 CE – c. 1017

Selected rulers; gaps in the list are not gaps in the dynasty.

Key events

Year	Event	Place
c. 247 BCE	Mahinda brings Buddhism to Sri Lanka	Mihintale
c. 161 BCE	Dutugemunu unites Sri Lanka Defeats Elara (Ellalan).	Anuradhapura
c. 29 BCE	Pali Canon written down at Aluvihare	Aluvihare
c. 477 CE	Kashyapa I builds Sigiriya	Sigiriya

Sites & monuments

Mihintale

Religious monument · c. 247 BCE

Ruwanwelisaya, Anuradhapura

Religious monument · c. 140 BCE

Sigiriya

Capital / fort · c. 477 CE

Rock fortress of Kashyapa I.

Personalities

Mahinda (Thera)

active c. 250 BCE

Ashoka's son who took Buddhism to Sri Lanka

Sanghamitta

active c. 240 BCE

Brought a sapling of the Bodhi tree to Sri Lanka

Buddhaghosa

active c. 430 CE

Author of the Visuddhimagga

📚 Recommended reading on the Anuradhapura Kingdom

Reference

A History of Sri Lanka

K. M. de Silva · Penguin

The standard history of Sri Lanka from Anuradhapura to independence.

General reading

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Contemporaries

Powers that coexisted with the Anuradhapura Kingdom for a significant part of its history.

Magadha ★

East · c. 700–321 BCE

Mauryan Empire ★

Pan-Indian · c. 321–185 BCE

Satavahana Empire ★

Deccan · c. 200 BCE – c. 225 CE

Kushan Empire ★

Northwest · c. 30 CE – c. 375 CE

Gupta Empire ★

Gangetic Plain · c. 240 CE – c. 550 CE

Pallava Dynasty ★

South · c. 275 CE – c. 897 CE

Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) Dynasty ★

North · c. 500 CE – c. 647 CE

Chalukyas of Badami ★

Deccan · c. 543 CE – c. 753 CE

Chahamanas (Chauhans) of Shakambhari ★

West · c. 650 CE – c. 1194

Gurjara-Pratihara Empire ★

North · c. 730 CE – c. 1036

Pala Empire ★

East · c. 750 CE – c. 1161

Rashtrakuta Empire ★

Deccan · c. 753 CE – c. 982 CE

Chola Empire ★

South · c. 848 CE – 1279

Ghaznavid Empire ★

Northwest · c. 977 CE – c. 1186

North · c. 1,200–350 BCE

Gangetic Plain · c. 1,100–350 BCE

West · c. 1,100–350 BCE

Central · c. 1,000–300 BCE

Gangetic Plain · c. 1,000–400 BCE

Central · c. 1,000–345 BCE

North · c. 800–350 BCE

Northwest · c. 800–330 BCE

Assaka / Asmaka

Deccan · c. 700–350 BCE

East · c. 700–261 BCE

Gangetic Plain · c. 600–400 BCE

Achaemenid Gandhara & Hindush

Northwest · c. 518–330 BCE

Early Pandyas (Sangam era)

South · c. 400 BCE – c. 300 CE

Early Cholas (Sangam era)

South · c. 300 BCE – c. 300 CE

Early Cheras (Sangam era)

South · c. 300 BCE – c. 300 CE

Greco-Bactrian Kingdom

Northwest · c. 256–125 BCE

Mahameghavahana (Chedi) of Kalinga

East · c. 200 BCE – c. 50 CE

Indo-Greek Kingdoms

Northwest · c. 200 BCE – c. 10 CE

Shunga Dynasty

Gangetic Plain · c. 185–73 BCE

Indo-Scythian (Saka) Kingdoms

Northwest · c. 110 BCE – c. 80 CE

Kanva Dynasty

East · c. 73–28 BCE

Indo-Parthian Kingdom

Northwest · c. 19 CE – c. 100 CE

Western Kshatrapas

West · c. 35 CE – c. 415 CE

Ikshvakus of Vijayapuri

Deccan · c. 225 CE – c. 340 CE

Kalabhra Interregnum

South · c. 250 CE – c. 600 CE

Vakataka Dynasty

Deccan · c. 250 CE – c. 500 CE