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Polities › Post-Mauryan Powers

Satavahana Empire

Empire Level 2 ★ Major power
c. 200 BCE – c. 225 CE

Deccan power that controlled trade between the coasts.

🗺 See on map in 107 CE
Also known as
Andhras
Capital
Pratishthana / Amaravati
Region
Deccan
Duration
424 years
Main period
Post-Mauryan Powers

Changing extent

  • c. 200 BCE — ~380 km radius
  • c. 106 CE — ~600 km radius: Gautamiputra Satakarni's peak
  • c. 170 CE — ~450 km radius: Eastward shift to Andhra

Approximate extent over time (solid = latest, dashed = earlier).

Rulers

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

Key events

YearEventPlace
c. 50 BCE Sanchi gateways carved Sanchi
c. 28 BCE Satavahanas end the Kanva dynasty
The Kanva dynasty ended.
 Magadha
c. 100 CE Chaitya halls at Karla and Nashik Karla
c. 124 CE Gautamiputra Satakarni defeats Nahapana
The Satavahanas recovered the western Deccan from the Kshaharatas.
 Nashik

Sites & monuments

Amaravati Stupa
Religious monument · c. 200 BCE

Personalities

Nagarjuna
active c. 200 CE
Founder of the Madhyamaka school of Buddhist philosophy

📚 Recommended reading on the Satavahana Empire

Textbook

Our Pasts I, II & III (Classes 6–8)

NCERT · NCERT

The simplest possible start: short, illustrated and the base of countless exam questions.

NCERT basics UPSC Prelims SSC State PSC
Amazon ↗Flipkart ↗
Textbook

Themes in Indian History, Parts I–III (Class 12)

NCERT · NCERT

Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.

NCERT basics UPSC Prelims UPSC Mains SSC State PSC
Amazon ↗Flipkart ↗
Textbook

An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I (Class 11)

NCERT · NCERT

The standard base for art and architecture questions — stupas, temples and sculpture.

NCERT basics UPSC Prelims State PSC
Amazon ↗Flipkart ↗
Textbook

India's Ancient Past

R. S. Sharma · Oxford University Press

The expanded version of the classic old-NCERT ancient India text; clear and exam-friendly.

UPSC Prelims UPSC Mains SSC State PSC
Amazon ↗Flipkart ↗

We may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. See all recommended books →

Contemporaries

Powers that coexisted with the Satavahana Empire for a significant part of its history.

Anuradhapura Kingdom ★
Sri Lanka · c. 437 BCE – c. 1017
 Kushan Empire ★
Northwest · c. 30 CE – c. 375 CE
 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