Shunga Empire

The Shunga Empire was an ancient Indian dynasty founded by Pushyamitra Shunga around 185 BCE after the Mauryan Empire fell. It ruled parts of northern and central India until about 73 BCE.

Pushyamitra Shunga: Pushyamitra Shunga was the founder of the Shunga dynasty and its first ruler. His seizure of power around 185 BCE established the empire.
Agnimitra: Agnimitra was the second Shunga ruler, succeeding Pushyamitra. His reign is dramatized in Kalidasa's play Malavikagnimitra.
Heliodorus pillar: The Heliodorus pillar is a second-century BCE inscriptional monument at Besnagar, erected by a Greek envoy to a local king. Its inscription records a regional ruler and religious setting during the Shunga age.
Bharhut Stupa: The Bharhut Stupa is an ancient Buddhist monument in Madhya Pradesh, known for its carved railings and inscriptions. Its surviving inscriptions associate artistic patronage at Bharhut with the Shunga period.
Ashoka: Ashoka was a Mauryan emperor whose edicts promoted ethical governance and supported Buddhist institutions. His imperial patronage provides a contrast to disputed claims about Shunga religious policy.
Mauryan Empire: The Mauryan Empire was an ancient South Asian empire that ruled much of the subcontinent from the fourth to second centuries BCE. Its collapse created the opening for Pushyamitra's rise.
Vasumitra: Vasumitra was a Shunga prince associated with a military victory during Pushyamitra's reign. Later literary accounts connect him with defending the horse used in a royal sacrifice.
Ayodhya inscription of Dhanadeva: The Ayodhya inscription of Dhanadeva is a Sanskrit inscription commemorating a ruler and referring to Pushyamitra. It offers direct epigraphic evidence for Shunga-era authority.
Sanchi: Sanchi is an archaeological complex in Madhya Pradesh centered on Buddhist stupas and monasteries. Its monuments were enlarged and embellished during the centuries that included Shunga rule.
Buddhist persecution under Pushyamitra Shunga: Buddhist persecution under Pushyamitra Shunga is a debated historical claim based mainly on later Buddhist texts. The allegation conflicts with material evidence of Buddhist monuments flourishing during the broader period.

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