Asmaka
Kingdom of Aśmaka | |
---|---|
c. 700 BCE–425 or 345 BCE | |
Capital | PotaliorPodana |
Common languages | Prakrit Sanskrit |
Religion | Historical Vedic religion Buddhism Jainism |
Government | Monarchy |
Maharaja | |
Historical era | Iron Age |
• Established | c. 700 BCE |
• Disestablished | 425 or 345 BCE |
Today part of | India |
Asmaka[a]orAssakawas aMahajanapadainancient Indiawhich existed between 700 BCE and 425 or 345 BCE according to theBuddhist textsAnguttara NikayaandPuranas.It included areas in present-dayAndhra Pradesh,TelanganaandMaharashtra.[1][2]InGautama Buddha's time, many of the Assakas were located on the banks of theGodavari River(south of theVindhyamountains). Its capital is variously called Potali or Podana, and is identified as present-dayBodhanin Telangana.[3]
Location
[edit]Aśmaka was located on theGodāvarīriver,[4]between Mūlaka andKaliṅga.[4]
The capital of Aśmaka was the city variously named Podana, Potali, Paudanyapura, and Potana, which corresponds to modern-dayBodhan.[4]
History
[edit]The Aśmaka kingdom already existed at the time of theBrāhmaṇas,when its king Brahmadatta was mentioned in theMahāgovinda Suttantaas a contemporary of Reṇu ofVidehaand Dhataraṭṭha or Dhṛtarāṣṭra ofKāsī.[4]
Paniniwho flourished about the seventh century B.C. makes mention of Asmaka which was in the interior of the Deccan watered by the Godavari, which is identified with modernNizamabaddistrict.[5]
Aśmaka annexed the small kingdom of Mūlaka located to its west during theMahajanapadaperiod, after which it became the southern neighbour of the kingdom ofAvanti.[6]
TheHathigumpha inscriptionofKharavela(2nd century BCE) mentions Kharavela's threat to a city variously interpreted as "Masika" (Masikanagara), "Musika" (Musikanagara) or "Asika" (Asikanagara). N. K. Sahu identifies Asika as the capital of Asmaka.[7]: 127 According toAjay Mitra Shastri,"Asika-nagara" was located in the present-day village of Adam inNagpur district(on theWainganga River). A terracotta seal excavated in the village mentions the Asmakajanapada.[8][9]Asmaka also included Mulaka area aroundPaithanknown in ancient times asPratishthana.[10]According toSutta NipataSaketa orAyodhyawas first halting place on the southward road (Dakshinapatha) fromShravastito Pratishthana.[11]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Gupta, Parmanand (1989).Geography from Ancient Indian Coins & Seals.Concept Publishing Company.ISBN9788170222484.
- ^Tiwari, Anshuman (10 August 2018).Laxminama: Monks, Merchants, Money and Mantra.Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 307.
- ^Sen, Sailendra Nath (1999).Ancient Indian History and Civilization.New Age International. p. 109.ISBN9788122411980.
- ^abcdRaychaudhuri 1953,p. 89.
- ^Pushpavathi, Kore."The early social history of Andhra Desa"(PDF).International Journal of History:33.
- ^Raychaudhuri 1953,p. 143-144.
- ^N. K. Sahu; Kharavela (King of Kalinga) (1984).Khâravela.Orissa State Museum.
- ^Ajay Mitra Shastri (1998).The Sātavāhanas and the Western Kshatrapas: a historical framework.Dattsons. p. 56.ISBN978-81-7192-031-0.
- ^Inguva Karthikeya Sarma; J. Vara Prasada Rao (1 January 1993).Early Brāhmī Inscriptions from Sannati.Harman Publishing House. p. 68.ISBN978-81-85151-68-7.
- ^Indian History.Allied Publishers. 1988.ISBN978-81-8424-568-4.
- ^Bakker, Ayodhya, Part 1 1984,p. 5.
Sources
[edit]- Bakker, Hans (1984).Ayodhya, Part 1: The History of Ayodhya from the seventh century BC to the middle of the 18th century.Groningen: Egbert Forsten.ISBN9069800071.
- Raychaudhuri, Hemchandra(1953).Political History of Ancient India: From the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of Gupta Dynasty.University of Calcutta.
External links
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