Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Page 1 of 3
Nanda Empire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nanda Empire
424 BC321 BC
Contents
1 Establishment of the dynasty
2 Nanda rule
3 List of Nanda rulers
4 Footnotes
Capital
Pataliputra
Languages
Sanskrit
Religion
Jainism
Hinduism
Buddhism
Government
Samrat
Monarchy
Mahapadma Nanda
Dhana Nanda
Historical era
- Established
- Disestablished
Antiquity
424 BC
321 BC
Nanda rule
The Nandas are sometimes described as the first empire builders in the recorded history of India.
They inherited the large kingdom of Magadha and wished to extend it to yet more distant frontiers.
To this purpose they built up a vast army, consisting of 200,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry, 2,000 war
chariots and 3,000 war elephants (at the lowest estimates). According to Plutarch however, the size
of the Nanda army was even larger, numbering 200,000 infantry, 80,000 cavalry, 8,000 war chariots,
and 6,000 war elephants. However, the Nandas never had the opportunity to see their army up
against Alexander, who invaded India at the time of Dhana Nanda, since Alexander had to confine
his campaign to the plains of Punjab, for his forces, frightened by the prospect of facing a formidable
foe, mutinied at the Hyphasis River (the modern Beas River) refusing to march any further. This
river thus marks the eastern-most extent of Alexander's conquests.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Empire
3/20/2013
Page 2 of 3
Footnotes
1. ^ Radha Kumud Mookerji, Chandragupta Maurya and His Times, 4th ed. (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass,
1988 [1966]), 31, 2833.
2. ^ "Nanda Dynasty MSN Encarta" (http://www.webcitation.org/5kx7P86Vv) . Archived from the
original (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761588383/Nanda_Dynasty.html) on 2009-11-01.
Preceded by
Shishunaga dynasty
Nanda Dynasty
(345 BC321 BC)
Succeeded by
Maurya dynasty
Classical India
Timeline:
6th
century
BCE
5th
century
BCE
4th
century
BCE
3rd
century
BCE
2nd
century
BCE
1st
century
BCE
1st
century
CE
Northwestern
India
Gandhara
(Persian rule)
(Greek conquests)
Indo-Greek
Kingdom
Yona
IndoScythians
IndoParthians
Pahlava
Kushan
Empire
IndoSassanids
Northern India
Magadha
Shishunaga
dynasty
Nanda empire
Kalinga
Maurya
Empire
Sunga Empire
MahaMeghavahana
Dynasty
Southern India
Pandyas
Cholas
Cheras
Satavahana
Empire
Kuninda
Kingdom
Western
Satraps
Gupta Empire
Maitraka
Vakataka
dynasty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Empire
Northeastern
India
Kalabhras
dynasty
Kadamba
Dynasty
Western Ganga
Dynasty
Vishnukundina
Pallava
Kalachuri
Chalukya
Varman
dynasty
Kamarupa
kingdom
Mlechchha
dynasty
3/20/2013
2nd
century
3rd
century
4th
century
5th
century
6th
century
7th
century
8th
century
9th
century
10th
century
11th
century
Kidarite
Kingdom
IndoHephthalites
(Huna)
Rashtrakuta
Yadava
dynasty
Harsha
GurjaraPratihara
(Islamic conquests)
Kabul Shahi
(Islamic Empire)
Page 3 of 3
Pala Empire
Paramara
dynasty
Solanki
Eastern Ganga
dynasty
Sena dynasty
Pala
dynasty
KambojaPala
dynasty
Western
Chalukyas
Kakatiya
dynasty
Hoysala
Empire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Empire
3/20/2013