Emergence of Satavahanas
The most important of the native successors of the Mauryas in the north were the
Shungas, followed by the Kanvas. In the Deccan and central India, the Satavahanas
succeeded the Mauryas, although after a gap of about 100 years in the first century
BCE. They ruled over parts of Andhra, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
They were also known as the Andhras.
Map: Satavahans
Satavahana Dynasty - Rulers and their Contributions
Period: 60 BC - 225 AD Capital: Pratishthana
(Paithan) and Amravati
● Sources: The Puranas and inscriptions remain important sources for the
history of Satavahanas.
● It majorly comprised present Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana.
The early Satavahana kings appeared in Maharashtra and later in Andhra.
● Deccan state: For the first time, a prominent state covering a major part of the
Deccan was established.
○ Several rock-cut caves dedicated to the Buddha sangha bear evidence
that they were situated in the trade routes linking the interior to the
coastal parts of the Konkan region.
● It was also a period of brisk Indo- Roman trade.
Simuka (60 BC- 37 BC) ● Founder of the Satavahana dynasty and is
mentioned as the first king in a list of royals in a
Satavahana at Naneghat inscription.
● Also referred to as Balipuccha in some texts.
● He was succeeded by his brother Kanha
(Krishna).
Satakarni I (70- 60 BC) ● Sources: Described as Dakshinapathapati in
the Naneghat inscription, which was written by
his wife, Nayanika.
○ Mentioned in the Hathigumpha
inscription of Kharvela.
● Conquered western Malwa from Shungas.
Hala ● Sources: Mentioned in Matsya Purana as the
17th ruler of the Satavahana dynasty.
● Literature: Compiled “The Gatha Sattasai”, a
collection of poems.
○ Gunadhya (composed Brihatkatha) was a
scholar in his court.
Gautamiputra Satakarni ● Sources and titles::
(106-130 AD):
○ Described as Ekabrahman in Nasik (by his
mother, Gautami Balashri) and Nanaghad
inscriptions.
○ Title of Kshatriyadarpa Mardana
(Destroyer of the Pride of Kshatriyas) in
Nasik inscription.
○ Known as the destroyer of the Sakas,
Pahlavas and Yavanas.
● Patronage to Brahmins: He patronised
Brahmanism, but he also donated land to the
Buddhist monks. Karle inscription mentions the
grant of a village by him to the Buddhist monks.
● Expansion of the empire: His rule extended
from Malwa and Saurashtra in the north to
Krishna River in the south and from Konkan in the
west to Vidarbha in the east.
○ He captured the whole of Deccan and
expanded his empire. His victory over
Nagapana, the ruler of Malwa, was
remarkable.
○ According to the Junagadh inscription of
Rudradaman Ⅰ, he was defeated by
Kardamaka ruler Rudradaman I, a Western
Kshatrapa dynasty.
Vashishtaputra Pulamayi ● Sources: Karla Caves' inscription has
(130 – 154 AD) mentioned him. His marriage with the daughter of
Rudradaman Ⅰ is mentioned in Junagadh
inscriptions.
● Contribution: He extended his reign up to the
mouth of the Krishna River and issued coins
with images of ships inscribed on them.
○ He repaired the old Amaravathi stupa.
Yajna Sri Satakarni (165 – ● Sources: The inscriptions at Kanheri Caves
194 AD) mention his reign.
● Expansion of the empire: He was the last great
ruler of Satavahanas. He conquered Kokan and
Malwa from the Shaka rulers.
Table - Satavahanas Dynasty
Art and Architecture during Satavahanas
Art and Architecture
● As the Satavahanas acted as a bridge between North and South India,
similarly, their material culture was a fusion of both local Deccan elements as
well as northern ingredients.
● Contributions: Caves 9 and 10 of Ajanta paintings were patronised by
Satavahana.
○ They patronised and promoted the Amravati School of Art.
○ They enlarged Ashokan Stupas and replaced the earlier bricks and
wood with stone. Example: Amaravati Stupa and the
Nagarjunakonda Stupa.
○ Development of rock-cut architecture: Chaityas and viharas were
cut from solid rock in north-western Deccan. Chaitya was a place of
worship, whereas Vihara (monastery) was a place of residence for
monks. Eg. Karle Chaitya in Ajanta Caves.
Amravati School of Art ● Nature: It was developed indigenously and not
(Andhra Pradesh) influenced by external cultures.
● Material used: White marble.
● Theme: It mainly had a Buddhist influence.
● Sculptures are generally part of narrative art, so
there is less emphasis on the individual features
of Buddha. The sculptures generally depict the
life stories of Buddha and the Jataka tales.
● Location: It developed in the Krishna-Godavari
lower valley, in and around Amaravati and
Nagarjunakonda.
Amravati Stupa (Andhra ● Discovery: It was discovered by Colin
Pradesh) Mackenzie
○ Amravati Stupa was built during the 3rd
century BC by Satvahanas.
● Features: The domical stupa structure is
covered with a relief stupa sculpture slab which is
a unique feature.
○ Themes: The sculptures on stupas are
drawn on themes based on Jataka and
other Buddhist stories. The dream of
Queen Mayadevi is also depicted here.
● Patrons: Ikshvakus were responsible for building
the stupas at Nagarjunakonda and their equally
beautiful carvings.
Table - Art and architecture during Satavahanas
Polity and Administration
● Nature: Satavahans retained some of the administrative features of
Mauryas. The king was represented as the upholder of dharma. They had a
decentralised administration.
○ Aharas: sub-divisions of the Kingdom into districts (administered by
Amatyas or Mahamatras).
○ Rashtras: The administrative divisions were also called Rashtras, and
their officials were called Maharashtrikas.
○ Grama: It was the lowest level of administration under the charge of a
Gramika or Gaulmika (head of the military regiment consisting of nine
chariots, nine elephants, twenty-five horses and forty-five-foot soldiers)
● Major officials associated with the administration:
○ Senapati: Provincial governor
○ Feudal system: had three grades of feudatories:
■ Raja ( had the right to strike coins),
■ Mahabhoja
■ Senapati.
● Language: The official language was Prakrit, but the script was Brahmi. The
Satavahanas also used Sanskrit in political inscriptions, but rarely.
● Military administration:
○ Katakas and Skandhvaras: These were the special military camps or
cantonment areas.
○ Military strength: According to Pliny, the Andhra kingdom maintained an
army of 100,000 infantry, 2000 cavalry and 1000 elephants.
● The practice of tax-free villages: The Satavahanas started the practice of
granting tax-free villages to Brahmanas and Buddhist monks. The cultivated
fields and villages granted to them were declared free from intrusion by royal
policemen, soldiers, and other royal officers.
● Revenue was collected both in cash and kind.
Economy
The period was known for remarkable progress in trade and economy.
● Progress in the fields of trade and industry: Increased activities of organised
merchant guilds (Sethi) were witnessed during this period.
● Trade: Ptolemy mentions many ports in the Deccan. (Western port: Kalyani;
Eastern ports: Gandakasela and Ganjam)
○ Trade centres: Pratishthana and Tagara were two important
Satavahana trade centres mentioned by the Periplus of the Erythraean
Sea. Sopara and Bharuch were import trading outposts.
○ Import items: wine, cloth, choice unguents, glass and sweet clover.
● Agriculture: Economic expansion through the intensification of agriculture
was done.
○ Paddy transplantation was known, and other agricultural crops were being
cultivated. In foreign accounts, Andhra was mentioned for its cotton
products.
● Other occupations: Gandhikas (perfumers) were mentioned as donors (a
general term to connote all kinds of shopkeepers).
● Extensive coinage system: Issued potin (a mixture of copper, tin and lead),
copper and bronze coins. The Satavahana kings mostly used lead as a material
for their coins. Silver coins, called Karshapanas were used for trade.
○ The coins were inscribed with animal motifs and names of ‘Satakarni’
and ‘Pulumavi’ with different shapes.
■ On one side, most of the Satavahana coins had the figure of an
elephant, horse, lion or Chaitya. The other side showed the Ujjain
symbol - a cross with four circles at the end of the two crossing
lines. The dialect used was Prakrit.
○ Other purposes: Although the coins were devoid of any beauty or
artistic merit, they constituted a valuable source material for the
dynastic history of the Satavahanas.
Religion and Society
● Religion:
○ The Satavahana rulers were Brahmanas, and they represented the
march of triumphant Brahmanism.
○ They performed Vedic sacrifices such as Ashvamedha and Vajapeya
paying liberal sacrificial fees to the Brahmanas.
○ They also worshipped a large number of Vaishnava gods, such as
Krishna and Vasudeva.
○ They also patronised Buddhism by giving land grants to the monks.
● Society:
● Social structure: Varna and Ashrama systems continued to govern the society.
The society consisted of four Varnas: Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and
Sudra.
○ Due to flourishing trade and commerce, merchants and artisans formed
an important social strata. Merchants generally named themselves after
the towns to which they belonged.
● Position of women: The position of women was better compared to other
kingdoms, as kings bore their mother’s name instead of their fathers’. This shows
a matrilineal social structure, especially in the royal families.
● The emergence of large settlements was seen in fertile areas due to agricultural
expansion.
Decline of Satavahana Period
Various reasons mentioned below were collectively responsible for the decline of
the Satvahana dynasty:
● Line of weak rulers: Rulers after Yajnashri Satakarni were considered poor and
weak. He was the last powerful Satavahana ruler.
○ Huge empire: The kingdom was divided between Yajnasri Satakarni's
successors, who were inefficient in handling a huge empire.
● Loss of centralised power: After the death of Yajna Satakarni and the rule of
weak rulers, there was a rise of its feudatories, possibly as a result of a loss of
centralised power.
● Division of empire: The Satavahana empire broke up into five smaller kingdoms
after the death of Pulumavi IV:
● Satavahanas kings were succeeded
