Janapada of Surasena: Map & History
The kingdom of Surasena was an ancient Indian region corresponding to the present-day Braj region in Uttar Pradesh, with Mathura as its capital city.
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The kingdom of Surasena was an ancient Indian region corresponding to the present-day Braj region in Uttar Pradesh, with Mathura as its capital city. According to the Buddhist text Anguttara Nikaya, Surasena was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas in the 6th century BCE. Also, it is mentioned in the Hindu epic poem Ramayana. The ancient Greek writers refer to the Sourasenoi and its cities, Methora and Cleisobra/Kleisobora.
Modern Countries Once Part of Janapada of Surasena
At its mapped extent, Janapada of Surasena covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Janapada of Surasena'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.
Janapada of Surasena in Depth
History
The Mahabharata and the Puranas refer to the rulers of the Mathura region as the Yadus or Yadavas, divided into a number of septs, which include the Vrishnis. The Buddhist texts refer to Avantiputta, the king of the Surasenas in the time of Maha Kachchana, one of the chief disciples of Gautama Buddha, who spread Buddhism in the Mathura region.
Its capital, Mathura, was situated on the bank of the river Yamuna, presently a sacred place for the Hindus. The ancient Greek writers mention another city, named Cleisobora, in this region.
Archaeological excavations at Mathura show the gradual growth of a village into an important city. The earliest period belonged to the Painted Grey Ware culture (1100–500 BCE), followed by the Northern Black Polished Ware culture (700–200 BCE).
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Surasena (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Janapada of Surasena: Key Facts
| Capital | Mathura |
|---|---|
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 7th century BCE |
| Dissolved | 3rd century BCE |
Facts from Wikidata Q1330149 (CC0).
Janapada of Surasena Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Janapada of Surasena appears, with the other states of the time.
Janapada of Surasena Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 5,199 km² in 428 BCE.
Janapada of Surasena: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Janapada of Surasena exist?
Janapada of Surasena is dated to 600 BCE – 405 BCE, in the Bronze & Iron Age Civilizations era.
What was the capital of Janapada of Surasena?
The capital of Janapada of Surasena was Mathura.
How large was Janapada of Surasena at its peak?
At its peak in 428 BC Janapada of Surasena covered about 5,199 km².
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