SSC CGL History · Ancient India
Post-Mauryan Kingdoms and the Sangam Age
The dynasties between the Mauryas and the Guptas: the Shungas, the Shakas, Parthians and Kushanas in the north, the Satavahanas in the Deccan, and the Sangam kingdoms of the far south.
Why this matters
Eleven questions in the bank: three from the 2023 shifts, seven from the 2024 shifts and one from the 2025 shifts, two of them HARD. Each asks a dynasty for a king, a title or an inscription, so one table per region does the work.
Concept 1 of 2: Shungas, Shakas, Parthians and Kushanas
Definition
In time order:
- Shungas: founded by Pushyamitra Shunga, who killed the last Mauryan king Brihadratha and performed Ashvamedha sacrifices. The last Shunga, Devabhuti, was killed by his minister Vasudeva Kanva, who founded the Kanva dynasty.
- Shakas (Western Kshatrapas): Rudradaman I repaired the Sudarshana lake in Kathiawar, as his Junagadh (Girnar) inscription of about 150 CE records.
- Parthians (Pahlavas): the Takht-i-Bahi inscription from Mardan, near Peshawar, names their king Gondophernes.
- Kushanas: Kanishka patronised Buddhism and held the Fourth Buddhist Council; Vasudeva I, the last great Kushana, issued gold dinars and copper coins. Kushana kings took the title Devaputra, son of god.
| Dynasty | King to remember | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Shunga | Pushyamitra (first), Devabhuti (last) | Began when Pushyamitra killed the last Mauryan kingQ |
| Shaka | Rudradaman I | Repaired the Sudarshana lakeQ |
| Parthian | Gondophernes | Takht-i-Bahi inscription, MardanQ |
| Kushana | Kanishka | Fourth Buddhist CouncilQ |
| Kushana | Vasudeva I | Gold dinars and copper coinsQ |
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
Example 1 · Ancient India · Post-Mauryan Kingdoms and the Sangam Age
Devabhuti, not Bhavabhuti
Concept 2 of 2: Satavahanas and the Sangam kingdoms
Definition
Satavahanas (Deccan):
- Their greatest king was Gautamiputra Satakarni. His mother Gautami Balashri's Nasik inscription lists his titles and his defeat of the Shaka ruler Nahapana.
- Their kingdom was divided into districts called aharas (or rashtras).
Sangam kingdoms (far south): the Cheras, the Cholas (Uraiyur and the port Puhar) and the Pandyas, whose capital was Madurai. Megasthenes first mentioned the Pandyas, famous for pearls.
Tamil works: the Silappathikaram (the Jewelled Anklet), the earliest Tamil epic, by Ilango Adigal; its sequel the Manimekalai, by Sittalai Sattanar.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
Example 2 · Ancient India · Post-Mauryan Kingdoms and the Sangam Age
Thanjavur is a later Chola capital
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Reference tables (2)
Shungas, Shakas, Parthians and Kushanas5 rows
| Dynasty | King to remember | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Shunga | Pushyamitra (first), Devabhuti (last) | Began when Pushyamitra killed the last Mauryan kingQ |
| Shaka | Rudradaman I | Repaired the Sudarshana lakeQ |
| Parthian | Gondophernes | Takht-i-Bahi inscription, MardanQ |
| Kushana | Kanishka | Fourth Buddhist CouncilQ |
| Kushana | Vasudeva I | Gold dinars and copper coinsQ |
Watch out for (2)
- Devabhuti, not Bhavabhuti→ Shungas, Shakas, Parthians and Kushanas
- Thanjavur is a later Chola capital→ Satavahanas and the Sangam kingdoms
Test yourself on Ancient India
20 past SSC CGL questions from this chapter, timed at 12 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.