UPSC CORE · NCERT HISTORY · SHARMA CH 18-19: SATAVAHANAS (DECCAN) + FAR SOUTH SANGAM AGE
Satavahanas & Sangam Tamilakam ⛵
NCERT-aligned UPSC Core History topic from NCERT Class 11/12 + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar). Every item is anchored to a real location on India's map — built for boards (CBSE, ICSE, state) and UPSC aspirants.
📚 NCERT TEXTBOOK ALIGNMENT
Class UPSC History — NCERT Class 11/12 + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar) — Chapter: Sharma Ch 18-19: Satavahanas (Deccan) + Far South Sangam Age.
13LOCATIONS
78QUESTIONS
UPSC CORENCERT LEVEL
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Key locations covered (13)
- Satavahanas — Origin + Capitals — Deccan
- Gautamiputra Satakarni — Greatest Satavahana — Deccan
- Satavahana Economy + Buddhist Patronage — Deccan
- Sangam Age — Three Crowned Kings — Tamilakam
- Sangam Literature + Tinai — Tamilakam
- Roman + South-East Asian Trade — South India + Indo-Pacific
- Western Kshatrapas (Sakas) — Gujarat / Malwa
- Satavahanas (Andhras) — Maharashtra + Andhra Pradesh
- Pratishthana (Paithan) — Maharashtra
- Kushans (Northern India) — North India + Central Asia
- Cholas (Sangam Age) — Tamil Nadu
- Cheras (Sangam Age) — Kerala
- Pandyas (Sangam Age) — Tamil Nadu
Sample questions (12 of 78)
Origin of the Satavahanas?
PURANAS list Satavahanas as the ANDHRA dynasty (mention reigns of 30 kings over ~460 years — but historians give them ~400 years actual rule). FIRST Satavahana king SIMUKA (~230 BCE) succeeded the SHUNGAS in the Deccan; capital initially at PRATISHTHANA (Paithan, Maharashtra). May have been BRAHMINS — followed Vedic rituals + Brahmin priesthood (despite later patronage of Buddhism).
Two Satavahana capitals + their roles?
WESTERN — PRATISHTHANA / PAITHAN (on the Godavari, Maharashtra) — original capital + center of trade with NW India. EASTERN — AMARAVATI / DHARANIKOTA (on the Krishna, Andhra) — became important under later kings; site of the famous AMARAVATI STUPA. Empire stretched between the two.
Were Satavahanas an Indian or foreign dynasty?
INDIAN — INDIGENOUS DECCANI dynasty (probably from Andhra). Distinguished themselves as the FIRST major Indian dynasty in the Deccan after the Mauryas; bridge between northern + southern Indian civilisations. UNLIKE the Indo-Greeks/Shakas/Kushans who were foreigners — Satavahanas were native + Sanskrit-Brahminic.
SATAVAHANA — origin theories?
Origin DEBATED: (i) BRAHMIN origin per Puranas (called "Andhrabhrtya" in some texts); (ii) ANDHRA origin (Aitareya Brahmana mentions "Andhras"); (iii) Possibly DRAVIDIAN-speaking ruling Aryanised population; (iv) Modern view: regional Deccan dynasty of mixed origin. Started ~230 BCE with SIMUKA who freed Deccan from Mauryan control after Ashoka's death.
SATAVAHANA CAPITALS?
Main capital: PRATISHTHANA / PAITHAN (Maharashtra, on Godavari river). Secondary: KANHERI region in Konkan; AMARAVATI in Andhra (Buddhist art centre); BANAVASI in Karnataka. The empire stretched MAHARASHTRA + ANDHRA + KARNATAKA at peak. Capital shifted with regional power.
NANEGHAT INSCRIPTION — content + significance?
NANEGHAT cave inscription (~70 BCE in Western Ghats pass) by QUEEN NAGANIKA — wife of SATAKARNI I. Lists VEDIC SACRIFICES performed (Ashvamedha, Rajasuya), DAKSHINA fees paid (e.g., 1,001 cows, 200,000 silver coins), names of her sons. EARLIEST royal Satavahana inscription. Shows REVIVAL of Vedic ritual after Mauryan Buddhism. UPSC-favored source.
Satavahana dynasty was founded by?
Simuka (c. 230 BCE)
Satavahanas are also called?
Andhras (Puranic name)
Original Satavahana capital was?
Pratishthana (Paithan, Maharashtra)
Later Satavahana capital was?
Amaravati (Andhra)
Satavahanas ruled approximately?
230 BCE - 220 CE (~450 years)
Who was Gautamiputra Satakarni?
GAUTAMIPUTRA SATAKARNI (r. ~106-130 CE) — greatest Satavahana ruler; restored the dynasty's prestige after Shaka encroachment. Defeated the WESTERN SHAKA king NAHAPANA (Kshaharata Kshatrapa); recovered lost territories in Maharashtra + western Deccan; eventually defeated by Rudradaman I (Kardamaka Western Shaka) — gave up some western territories.
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About this topic
This topic is part of the NCERT UPSC Core History syllabus, specifically the textbook NCERT Class 11/12 + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar), drawn from the chapter Sharma Ch 18-19: Satavahanas (Deccan) + Far South Sangam Age. Content is cross-referenced against the latest NCERT textbook editions + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar, Satish Chandra for history; G.C. Leong, Savindra Singh for geography; the UPSC Civil Services prelims + mains syllabus).
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