Gupta Empire
ancient Indian empire (c. 3rd century CE–575 CE) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Gupta Empire was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 AD covering most of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan with tributaries and vassals in parts of Central Asia and Southeast Asia. The time of the Gupta Empire is referred to as Golden Age of science, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy in South Asia.
Gupta Empire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 240–c. 579[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gupta empire on its peak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Empire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common languages | Sanskrit (literary and academic); Prakrit (vernacular) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maharajadhiraja | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• c. 240 – c. 280 | Gupta (first) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• c. 540 – c. 550 | Vishnugupta (last) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Historical era | Classical India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Established | c. 240 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• Disestablished | c. 579[12] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 400 est.[13] (high-end estimate of peak area) | 3,500,000 km2 (1,400,000 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 440 est.[14] (low-end estimate of peak area) | 1,700,000 km2 (660,000 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• 5th century | 75,000,000[15] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency | Dinara (gold coins) Rupaka (silver coins) Karshapana (copper coins) Cowries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Today part of | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Plenty of information about this dynasty can be found through coins, inscriptions, monuments, and Sanskrit writings. The Gupta rulers were great conquerors and 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. Goods were affordable and all round prosperity ensured that their requirements were met easily. 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.[source?]
Gupta dynasty
The Gupta dynasty ruled by the Gupta Empire of South Asia, from around 240 to 579.
Some of its main rulers were:
Coins
The Guptas used coinage across their empire.This showed both their wealth-as some coins were trying to unify the empire by using the same coins over the empire.
Further reading
- Karls, Farah. World History The Human Experience.
References
Other websites
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