1000 BC-AD 1300
The chronology of the earlier part of Indian history is notoriously uncertain compared to that of China
or the Mediterranean world. Literary sources can belong to a span of time rather than a precise date.
However, this ambiguity is offset in the data from inscriptions that are usually precisely dated, often
in a known era. Most of the important dynasties of the early period used their own system of
reckoning, which resulted in a number of unconnected eras. But among the more widely used eras are
the Vikrama era of 58-57 BC and the Shaka era of AD 78. The Vikrama era was known earlier as the
Krita or the Malava era. Others include the Gupta era of AD 319-20, the Harsha era of AD 606, the
Vikrama-Chalukya era of AD 1075 and a variety of others. Buddhist sources generally reckon from
the year of the death of the Buddha, but there are three alternative dates for this event – 544/486/483
BC. It is more usual to use either of the two latter dates, the first being generally doubted. Lately,
there has been much discussion on the date of the Buddha and suggestions have taken this chronology
to almost a hundred years later. But as yet there is no generally accepted agreement on a date, other
than the traditional.
BC
c.
2600-
1700
Harappan urbanization: Mature and Late Harappan
c.
1500-
500
Composition and compilation of the Vedic corpus Neolithic and chalcolithic cultures in
various parts of the subcontinent Megalithic burials, largely in the peninsula
c. 1000 Availability of iron artefacts
Use of iron artefacts gradually increases in range and number after the sixth century BC
c. 6th
century
Urbanization in the Ganges Plain
Formation of the earliest states
The rise of Magadha
Mahavira
Gautama Buddha
519 Cyrus, the Achaemenid Emperor of Persia, conquers parts of north-western India
c. 493 Accession of Ajatashatru
486 Death of the Buddha
c. 362-
321 Nanda dynasty
327-
325 Alexander of Macedon in India
321 Accession of Chandragupta, the founder of the Maurya dynasty
268-
Reign of Ashoka
231
c. 250 Third Buddhist Council held at Pataliputra
185 Termination of Mauryan rule and accession of a Shunga king
180-
165 Indo-Greek rule in the north-west under Demetrius
c. 166-
150 Menander, the best known Indo-Greek ruler
c. 94 Maues, the Shaka King, in north-western India
58 Azes I, thought to have founded the Vikrama era
c. 50 Rise of Satavahana power in the Deccan
c. 50 Kharavela, King of Kalinga
AD
c. 50 BC-AD 50 Peak period of Roman trade with India
1st century AD Kushana power established
? c. 78 Accession of Kanishka, Kushana King of the north-west
Founding of the Shaka era
c. 125 Gautamiputra and subsequently Vasishthiputra ruling the
Satavahana kingdom
c. 150 Rudradaman, the Shaka Kshatrapa King ruling in western India
319-20 Accession of Chandra Gupta I, founder of the Gupta dynasty
335 Accession of Samudragupta
375-415 Chandra Gupta II
405-11 Visit of Fa Hsien
c. 455 Skandagupta, in whose reign the Hunas attack north India
476 Aryabhatta, the astronomer
505 Varahamihira, the astronomer
543-66 Pulakeshin I and the rise of the Chalukyas of Badami
c. 574-60 Rise of the Pallavas of Kanchi under Simhavishnu
606-47 Harshavardhana, King of Kannauj
630-643 Hsüan Tsang in India
600-630 Establishing of Pallava power under Mahendravarman
609-42 Establishment of Chalukya power under Pulakeshin II
Start of rivalry between the Pallavas and Chalukyas
712 Arab conquest of Sind
736 Founding of Dhillika – the first city of Delhi
c. 752 Rashtrakuta victory over the Chalukyas
c. 770 Pala dynasty founded by Gopala in eastern India
c. 780 The rise of the Gurjara Pratiharas
c. 788-820 Shankaracharya
814-80 Reign of Amoghavarsha, the Rashtrakuta King
c. 840 Establishing of the Pratiharas under King Bhoja
c. 907 Parantaka I strengthens Chola power in south India
c. 973 Chalukyas of Kalyani defeat the Rashtrakutas
985-1014 Rajaraja I extends Chola power
1000-1026 Raids of Mahmud of Ghazni into north-western India
1023 Northern campaign of Rajendra Chola
1025 Naval campaign of the Cholas
1030 Alberuni in India
c. 1075 Ramanuja
1077-1147 Establishment of the Ganga kingdom
1077 Embassy of Chola merchants to China
1077-1120 Ramapala re-enforces the Pala kingdom
1110 Rise of Vishnuvardhana and Hoysala power
1144-71 Kumarapala, the Chaulukya/Solanki King
1148 Kalhana writes the Rajatarangini
1192 Prithviraja Chauhan defeated by Muhammad Ghuri at the battle of Tarain
1206 Establishment of the Delhi Sultanate under Qutb-ud-din Aibak
c. 1250 Sun temple at Konarak
1246-79 Rajendra III, the last Chola King
or the Mediterranean world. Literary sources can belong to a span of time rather than a precise date.
However, this ambiguity is offset in the data from inscriptions that are usually precisely dated, often
in a known era. Most of the important dynasties of the early period used their own system of
reckoning, which resulted in a number of unconnected eras. But among the more widely used eras are
the Vikrama era of 58-57 BC and the Shaka era of AD 78. The Vikrama era was known earlier as the
Krita or the Malava era. Others include the Gupta era of AD 319-20, the Harsha era of AD 606, the
Vikrama-Chalukya era of AD 1075 and a variety of others. Buddhist sources generally reckon from
the year of the death of the Buddha, but there are three alternative dates for this event – 544/486/483
BC. It is more usual to use either of the two latter dates, the first being generally doubted. Lately,
there has been much discussion on the date of the Buddha and suggestions have taken this chronology
to almost a hundred years later. But as yet there is no generally accepted agreement on a date, other
than the traditional.
BC
c.
2600-
1700
Harappan urbanization: Mature and Late Harappan
c.
1500-
500
Composition and compilation of the Vedic corpus Neolithic and chalcolithic cultures in
various parts of the subcontinent Megalithic burials, largely in the peninsula
c. 1000 Availability of iron artefacts
Use of iron artefacts gradually increases in range and number after the sixth century BC
c. 6th
century
Urbanization in the Ganges Plain
Formation of the earliest states
The rise of Magadha
Mahavira
Gautama Buddha
519 Cyrus, the Achaemenid Emperor of Persia, conquers parts of north-western India
c. 493 Accession of Ajatashatru
486 Death of the Buddha
c. 362-
321 Nanda dynasty
327-
325 Alexander of Macedon in India
321 Accession of Chandragupta, the founder of the Maurya dynasty
268-
Reign of Ashoka
231
c. 250 Third Buddhist Council held at Pataliputra
185 Termination of Mauryan rule and accession of a Shunga king
180-
165 Indo-Greek rule in the north-west under Demetrius
c. 166-
150 Menander, the best known Indo-Greek ruler
c. 94 Maues, the Shaka King, in north-western India
58 Azes I, thought to have founded the Vikrama era
c. 50 Rise of Satavahana power in the Deccan
c. 50 Kharavela, King of Kalinga
AD
c. 50 BC-AD 50 Peak period of Roman trade with India
1st century AD Kushana power established
? c. 78 Accession of Kanishka, Kushana King of the north-west
Founding of the Shaka era
c. 125 Gautamiputra and subsequently Vasishthiputra ruling the
Satavahana kingdom
c. 150 Rudradaman, the Shaka Kshatrapa King ruling in western India
319-20 Accession of Chandra Gupta I, founder of the Gupta dynasty
335 Accession of Samudragupta
375-415 Chandra Gupta II
405-11 Visit of Fa Hsien
c. 455 Skandagupta, in whose reign the Hunas attack north India
476 Aryabhatta, the astronomer
505 Varahamihira, the astronomer
543-66 Pulakeshin I and the rise of the Chalukyas of Badami
c. 574-60 Rise of the Pallavas of Kanchi under Simhavishnu
606-47 Harshavardhana, King of Kannauj
630-643 Hsüan Tsang in India
600-630 Establishing of Pallava power under Mahendravarman
609-42 Establishment of Chalukya power under Pulakeshin II
Start of rivalry between the Pallavas and Chalukyas
712 Arab conquest of Sind
736 Founding of Dhillika – the first city of Delhi
c. 752 Rashtrakuta victory over the Chalukyas
c. 770 Pala dynasty founded by Gopala in eastern India
c. 780 The rise of the Gurjara Pratiharas
c. 788-820 Shankaracharya
814-80 Reign of Amoghavarsha, the Rashtrakuta King
c. 840 Establishing of the Pratiharas under King Bhoja
c. 907 Parantaka I strengthens Chola power in south India
c. 973 Chalukyas of Kalyani defeat the Rashtrakutas
985-1014 Rajaraja I extends Chola power
1000-1026 Raids of Mahmud of Ghazni into north-western India
1023 Northern campaign of Rajendra Chola
1025 Naval campaign of the Cholas
1030 Alberuni in India
c. 1075 Ramanuja
1077-1147 Establishment of the Ganga kingdom
1077 Embassy of Chola merchants to China
1077-1120 Ramapala re-enforces the Pala kingdom
1110 Rise of Vishnuvardhana and Hoysala power
1144-71 Kumarapala, the Chaulukya/Solanki King
1148 Kalhana writes the Rajatarangini
1192 Prithviraja Chauhan defeated by Muhammad Ghuri at the battle of Tarain
1206 Establishment of the Delhi Sultanate under Qutb-ud-din Aibak
c. 1250 Sun temple at Konarak
1246-79 Rajendra III, the last Chola King
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