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Satavahana Empire

Territorial extent of the Satavahana Empire (continuous line), and conquests (dotted line).
Official languages	Maharashtri Sanskrit Telugu
Capitals	Paithan, Junnar near Pune and Dharanikota/ Amaravathi near Guntur
Government	Monarchy
Preceding state of Sātavāhana	Mauryan Empire
Succeeding states of Sātavāhana	Ikshvakus, Kadambas, Western Satraps

The Sātavāhanas (Marathi: सातवाहन, Telugu:శాతవాహనులు), were a dynasty which ruled from Junnar (Pune), Prathisthapana (Paithan) in Maharashtra and Amaravati (Dharanikota) in Andhra Pradesh over Southern and Central India from around 230 BCE onward. Although there is some controversy about when the dynasty came to an end, the most liberal estimates suggest that it lasted about 450 years, until around 220 CE. The Satavahanas are credited for establishing peace in the country, resisting the onslaught of foreigners after the decline of Mauryan empire.

The first mention of the Satavahana is in the Aitareya Brahmana, dating back to the 8th century BCE mentioning them to be of Vishwamitra's lineage.In the Pūrānas and on their coins the dynasty is variously referred to as the Sātavāhanas, Sātakarnīs, Andhras and Andhrabhrityas. A reference to the Sātavāhanas by the Greek traveller Megasthenes indicates that they possessed 100,000 infantry, 1,000 elephants, and had more than 30 well built fortified towns:

Next come the Andarae, a still more powerful race, which possesses numerous villages, and thirty towns defended by walls and towers, and which supplies its king with an army of 100,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry, and 1,000 elephants.

—Plin. Hist. Nat. VI. 21. 8-23. 11., quoting Megasthenes^[1]

The Sātavāhanas ruled a large and powerful empire that withstood the onslaughts from Central Asia. Aside from their military power, their commercialism and naval activity is evidenced by establishment of Indian colonies in southeast Asia for the first time in history.^{[citation needed]}

The Edicts of Ashoka mention the Sātavāhanas as feudatories of Emperor Ashoka. Fragment of the 6th Pillar Edicts of Ashoka (238 BCE), in Brahmi, sandstone. British Museum.

The Sātavāhanas began as feudatories to the Mauryan Empire. They seem to have been under the control of Emperor Ashoka, who claims they were in his domain, and that he introduced Buddhism among them:

Here in the king's domain among the Yavanas (Greeks), the Kambojas, the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, the Bhojas, the Pitinikas, the Andhras and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of-the-Gods' instructions in Dhamma.

—Rock Edict Nb13 (S. Dhammika)

The Satavahanas declared independence sometime after the death of Ashoka (232 BCE), as the Maurya Empire began to weaken.

The Satavahanas/ Andhras initially ruled in the area of Andhradesam, the telugu name for the people country between the rivers Krishna and Godavari,^{[citation needed]} which was always their heartland. The Pūrānas list 30 Andhra rulers. Many are known from their coins and inscriptions as well. 'Andhras' also figured in the accounts of Al-Biruni (1030 CE) who referred to a language spoken in South India as "Andhri". The book "Kitabu'l Hind" described some of the customs and traditions prevalent in Andhra region.

After becoming independent around 230 BCE, Simuka, the founder of the dynasty, conquered Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Malwa and part of Madhya Pradesh. He was succeeded by his brother Kanha (or Krishna) (r. 207-189 BCE), who further extended his kingdom to the west and the south.

Early Satakarni issue, Maharashtra - Vidarbha type.

Satavahana 1st century BCE coin inscribed in Brahmi: "(Sataka)Nisa". British Museum.

His successor Sātakarnī I was the sixth ruler of the Satavahana. He is said in the Puranas to have ruled for 56 years.

Satakarni defeated the Sunga dynasty of North India by wrestling Western Malwa from them, and performed several Vedic sacrifices at huge cost, including the Horse Sacrifice. He also was in conflict with the Kalinga ruler Kharavela, who mentions him in the Hathigumpha inscription. According to the Yuga Purana he conquered Kalinga following the death of Kharavela. He extended Satavahana rule over Madhya Pradesh and pushed back the Sakas from Pataliputra (he is thought to be the Yuga Purana's "Shata", an abbreviation of the full name “Shri Sata” that occurs on coins from Ujjain), where he subsequently ruled for 10 years.

By this time the dynasty was well established, with its capital at Pratishthānapura (Paithan) in Maharashtra, and its power spreading into all of South India.

Many small rulers succeeded Satakarni, such as Lambodara, Apilaka, Meghasvati and Kuntala Satakarni, who are thought to have been under the suzerainty of the Kanva dynasty. The Puranas (the Matsya Purana, the Vayu Purana, the Brahmanda Purana, the Vishnu Purana) all state that the first of the Andhra kings rose to power in the 1st century BCE, by slaying Susarman, the last ruler of the Kanvas.^[2] This feat is usually thought to have been accomplished by Pulomavi (c. 30-6 BCE), who then ruled over Pataliputra.

The first century CE saw another incursion of the Sakas of Central Asia into India, where they formed the dynasty of the Western Kshatrapas. The four immediate successors of Hāla (r. 20-24 CE) had short reigns totalling about a dozen years. During the reign of the Western Satrap Nahapana, the Satavahanas lost a considerable territory to the satraps, including eastern Malwa, Southern Gujarat, and Northern Konkan, from Broach to Sopara and the Nasik and Poona districts.^[3]

Coin of Gautamiputra Satakarni.
Obv: King in profile. Prakrit legend "Rano Gotamiputasa Siri Yana Satakarnisa": "In the reign of Gautamiputra Sri Yana Satakarni"
Rev: Hill with Satavahana symbol, sun and moon. Dravidian legend "Arahanaku gotami putaku Hiru Yana Hatakanaku".^[4]

Eventually Gautamiputra (Sri Yagna) Sātakarni (also known as Shalivahan) (r. 78-106 CE) defeated the Western Satrap ruler Nahapana, restoring the prestige of his dynasty by reconquering a large part of the former dominions of the Sātavāhanas. He was an ardent supporter of Hinduism.

According to the Nasik inscription made by his mother Gautami Balasri, he is the one...

...who crushed down the pride and conceit of the Kshatriyas (the native Indian princes, the Rajputs of Rajputana, Gujarat and Central India); who destroyed the Shakas (Western Kshatrapas), Yavanas (Indo-Greeks) and Pahlavas (Indo-Parthians),... who rooted the Khakharata familly (The Kshaharata familly of Nahapana); who restored the glory of the Satavahana race^[5]

Gautamiputra Satakarni may also have defeated Shaka king Vikramaditya in 78 AD and started the calendar known as Shalivahana era or Shaka era, which is followed by the Marathi and Telugu people even to this day.

Gautamiputra Sātakarni's son, Vashishtiputra Pulumāyi (r. 106-130 CE), succeeded him. Gautamiputra was the first Sātavāhana king to issue the portrait-type coinage, in a style derived from the Western Satraps.^[6]

Silver coin of king Vashishtiputra Sātakarni (c. 160 CE).
Obv: Bust of king. Prakrit legend in the Brahmi script: "Siri Satakanisa Rano ... Vasithiputasa": "King Vasishtiputra Sri Satakarni"
Rev: Ujjain/Sātavāhana symbol left. Crescented six-arch chaitya hill right. River below. Dravidian legend in the Brahmi script: "Arahanaku Vahitti makanaku Tiru Hatakaniko".

Gautamiputra's brother, Vashishtiputra Sātakarni, married the daughter of Rudradaman I of the Western Satraps dynasty. Around 150 CE, Rudradaman I, now his father-in-law, waged war against the Satavahanas, who were defeated twice in these conflicts. Vashishtiputra Satakarni was only spared his life because of his familly links with Rudradaman:^[7]

"Rudradaman (...) who obtained good report because he, in spite of having twice in fair fight completely defeated Satakarni, the lord of Dakshinapatha, on account of the nearness of their connection did not destroy him."

—Junagadh rock inscription ^[8]

As a result of his victories, Rudradaman regained all the former territories previously held by Nahapana, except for the extreme south territories of Poona and Nasik.^[9] Satavahana dominions were limited to their original base in the Deccan and eastern central India around Amaravati.

However, the last great king of this dynasty, Yajna Satakarni, defeated the Western Satraps and reconquered their southern regions in western and central India. ^[10] During the reign of Sri Yajna Sātakarni (170-199 CE) the Sātavāhanas regained some prosperity, and some of his coins have been found in Surashtra^[11] but around the middel of the third century, the dynasty came to an end.

Coin of Gautamiputra Yajna Satakarni (r. 167-196 CE).

Four or five kings of Yajna Satakarni's line succeeded him, and continued to rule till about the mid 200s CE. However, the dynasty was soon extinguished following the rise of its feudatories, perhaps on account of a decline in central power.^[12]

Several dynasties divided the lands of the kingdom among themselves. Among them were:

• Western Satraps in the northwestern part of the kingdom.
• Abhiras in the western part of the kingdom. They were ultimately to succeed the Sātavāhanas in their capital Pratishthānapura.
• Chutus in South Maharashtra.
• Kadambas of Banavasi in North Karnataka.
• Ikshvaku dynasty (or Srīparvatiyas) in the Krishna-Guntur region.
• Pallavas of Kanchipuram, of whom the first ruler was Simhavarman I (r. 275-300 CE).

Royal earrings, Andhra Pradesh, 1st Century BCE.

The Satavahanas are the first native Indian rulers to issue their own coins with portraits of their rulers, starting with king Gautamiputra Satakarni, a practice derived from that of the Western Satraps he defeated, itself originating with the Indo-Greek kings to the northwest.

Satavahana coins give unique indications as to their chronology, language, and even facial features (curly hair, long ears and strong lips). They issued mainly lead and copper coins; their portrait-style silver coins were usually struck over coins of the Western Kshatrapa kings.

The coin legends of the Satavahanas, in all areas and all periods, used a Prakrit dialect without exception. Some reverse coin legends are in a Dravidian language/Proto-Telugu, which seems to have been in use in their heartland abutting the Kistna, probably Amaravati, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.^[13]

Their coins also display various traditional symbols, such as elephants, lions, horses and chaityas (stupas), as well as the "Ujjain symbol", a cross with four circles at the end. The legendary Ujjayini emperor Vikramditiya on whose name the Vikram Samvat is initiated might be satakarni II a Satavahana emperor as the Ujjayini symbol also appeared on the Satavahana coins.

An aniconic representation of Mara's assault on the Buddha, 2nd century CE, Amaravati.

Of the Sātavāhana kings, Hāla (r. 20-24 CE) is famous for compiling the collection of Maharashtri poems known as the Gaha Sattasai (Sanskrit: Gāthā Saptashatī), although from linguistic evidence it seems that the work now extant must have been re-edited in the succeeding century or two. The Lilavati describes his marriage with a Ceylonese Princess.

The Satavahanas influenced South-East Asia to a great extent, spreading Hindu culture, language and religion into that part of the world. Their coins had images of ships.

Scroll supported by Indian Yaksha, Amaravati, 2nd-3rd century CE.

The Sātavāhana kings are also remarkable for their contributions to Buddhist art and architecture. They built great stupas in the Krishna River Valley, including the stupa at Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh. The stupas were decorated in marble slabs and sculpted with scenes from the life of the Buddha, portrayed in a characteristic slim and elegant style. The Satavahana empire colonized southeast Asia and spread Indian culture to those parts. Mahayana Buddhism, which may have originated in Andhra (northwestern India being the alternative candidate), was carried to many parts of Asia by the rich maritime culture of the Satavahanas. The Amaravati style of sculpture spread to Southeast Asia at this time.

The Satavahanas contributed greatly to the embellishment of the Buddhist stupa of Sanchi. The gateways and the balustrade were built after 70 BCE, and appear to have been commissioned by them. An inscription records the gift of one of the top architraves of the Southern Gateway by the artisans of the Satavahana king Satakarni:

Gift of Ananda, the son of Vasithi, the foreman of the artisans of rajan Siri Satakarni^[14]

Throughout, the Buddhist art of the Satavahanas remained aniconic, denying any human representation of the Buddha, even in highly descriptive scenes. This remained true until the end of the Satavahana rule, in the 2nd century CE.

From the Old Testament, Chapter-26, Verse-58: These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Lib’nites, the family of Hebronites, the family of the Mah’lites, the family of the Mu’shites, the family of the Ko’-rath-ites. And Ko’hath begat Amram.

The Levites were a Jewish tribe associated with priestly duties and considered one of the lost tribes of Israel. The family of the Mu’shites is of interest in the above statement as the ancient Telugu people of Andhra Pradesh were known as Mushikalu, during which time a city was built in the mane of Mushikaa Nagaram, which belonged to the Sathavahana kings. Thus, the Sathavahanas could be the Mushika kingdom mentioned in the Mahabharata.

Puranic list of Andhra/ Satavahana kings (Source: "A Catalogue of Indian coins in the British Museum. Andhras etc...", Rapson). This list, the most complete one with 30 kings, is based on the Matsya Purana.

• Simuka or Sisuka (r. 230-207 BCE). Also (271-248 BCE), ruled 23 years.
• Krishna (r. 207-189 BCE), ruled 18 years.
• Sri Mallakarni (or Sri Satakarni), ruled 10 years.
• Purnotsanga, ruled 18 years
• Skandhastambhi, ruled 18 years
• Sātakarnī I (195 BCE), ruled 56 years
• Lambodara, ruled 18 years.(r. 87-67 BCE)

Probably as vassals of Kanva dynasty (75-35 BCE):

• Apilaka, ruled 12 years.
• Meghasvati (or Saudasa), ruled 18 years.
• Svati (or Svami), ruled 18 years.
• Skandasvati, ruled 7 years.
• Mahendra Satakarni (or Mrgendra Svatikarna, Satakarni II), ruled 8 years.
• Kuntala Satakarni (or Kuntala Svatikarna), ruled 8 years.
• Svatikarna, ruled 1 year.

• Pulomavi (or Patumavi), ruled 36 years.
• Riktavarna (or Aristakarman), ruled 25 years.
• Hāla (r. 20-24 CE), author of the Gathasaptasati, an Indian literature classic, ruled 5 years.
• Mandalaka (or Bhavaka, Puttalaka), ruled 5 years.
• Purindrasena, ruled 5 years.
• Sundara Satakarni, ruled 1 year.
• Cakora Satakarni (or Cakora Svatikarna), ruled 6 months.
• Sivasvati, ruled 28 years.
• Gautamiputra Sātakarni, or Gautamiputra, popularly known as Shalivahan (r. 25-78 CE), ruled 21 years.
• Vasisthiputra Sri Pulamavi, or Puloma, Puliman (r. 78-114 CE), ruled 28 years.
• Vashishtiputra Sātakarni (r. 130-160), or Shiva Sri, Sivasri, ruled 7 years.
• Shivaskanda Satakarni, (157-159), ruled 7 years.
• Yajna Sri Satakarni, (r. 167-196 CE), ruled 29 years.
• Vijaya, ruled 6 years.
• Canda Sri Satakarni, ruled 10 years.
• Puloma, 7 years.
• Madhariputra Svami Sakasena? (r. c.190)

General

Notes

• Maratha clan system
• Gautamiputra Satakarni
• Indo-Greek Kingdom
• Indo-Scythians
• Indo-Parthians
• Western Kshatrapas
• Kushan Empire
• Andhra Pradesh

• History of the Andhras, by Durga Prasad
• Indian dynasties
• Simon Winchester, "In the Holy Caves of India", The New York Times (November 5, 2006). History of Ajanta Caves.
• Short history of the Satavahanas.
• The Satavahanas
• "A gap in Puranic history bridged" (Satavahanas) - Boloji.com
• "Telmun language Telugu - by Samyuktha Kooniah