Funan: Map & History
Funan was a loose network of ancient Indianized states (mandalas) located in Mainland Southeast Asia, covering parts of present-day Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, that existed from the 1st to the 7th century CE.
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Funan was a loose network of ancient Indianized states (mandalas) located in Mainland Southeast Asia, covering parts of present-day Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, that existed from the 1st to the 7th century CE. It was located southwest of Linyi, the Chinese designation for the historical region of Champa in present-day central and southern Vietnam. Funan is generally considered the first known kingdom in Southeast Asia.
Modern Countries Once Part of Funan
At its mapped extent, Funan covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Funan's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Funan in Depth
History
Chinese sources relate a local legend to document Funan's origin, that a foreigner named "Huntian" (混填, pinyin: Hùntián) established the Kingdom of Funan around the 1st century CE in the Mekong Delta of southern Vietnam. Archeological evidence shows that extensive human settlement in the region may go as far back as the 4th century BCE. Though treated by Chinese historians as a single unified empire, according to some modern scholars Funan may have been a collection of city-states that sometimes warred with one another and at other times constituted a political unity.
The ethnic and linguistic origins of the Funanese people have consequently been subject to scholarly debate, and no firm conclusions can be drawn based on the evidence available.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Funan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Funan: Key Facts
| Capital | Vyadhapura |
|---|---|
| Form of government | absolute monarchy |
| Currency | pearl |
| Founded | 68 CE |
| Dissolved | 550 CE |
Facts from Wikidata Q867782 (CC0).
Funan Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Funan appears, with the other states of the time.
Funan Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 245,198 km² in 639 CE.
Funan: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Funan exist?
Funan is dated to 51 CE – 640 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of Funan?
The capital of Funan was Vyadhapura.
How large was Funan at its peak?
At its peak in 639 AD Funan covered about 245,198 km².
How did the map of Funan change over time?
Funan appears on 6 dated world maps in the atlas, from 117 CE to 600 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.