Silla: Map & History
Silla was a Korean kingdom that existed between 57 BCE and 935 CE and was located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula.
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Silla was a Korean kingdom that existed between 57 BCE and 935 CE and was located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Paekche and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Silla had the lowest population of the three, approximately 850,000 people, significantly smaller than those of Paekche and Goguryeo and was considered less developed and weaker compared to both Goguryeo and Paekche.
Modern Countries Once Part of Silla
At its mapped extent, Silla covered territory in 2 present-day countries. 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 Silla'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.
Silla in Depth
History
During the Proto–Three Kingdoms period, central and southern Korea consisted of three confederacies called the Samhan. Silla began as "Saro-guk", a statelet within the 12-member confederacy known as Jinhan. Saro-guk consisted of six clans later known as the Six Clans of Jinhan (진한 6부; 辰韓六部) from Gojoseon.
According to Korean records, Silla was founded by Bak Hyeokgeose of Silla in 57 BCE, around present-day Gyeongju. Hyeokgeose is said to have been hatched from an egg laid from a white horse, and when he turned 13, six clans submitted to him as king and established the kingdom of "Saro (pronounced [si.raʔ] at the time)" which later became the kingdom of Silla.
Military
The early Silla military was built around a small number of Silla royal guards designed to protect royalty and nobility and in times of war served as the primary military force if needed. Due to the frequency of conflicts between Paekche and Goguryeo as well as Yamato Japan, Silla created six local garrisons one for each district. The royal guards eventually morphed into "sworn banner" or Sodang units. In 625 another group of Sodang was created. Garrison soldiers were responsible for local defense and also served as a police force.
A number of Silla's greatest generals and military leaders were Hwarang (equivalent to the Western knights or chevaliers).
Culture
A significant number of Silla tombs can still be found in Gyeongju, the capital of Silla. Silla tombs consist of a stone chamber surrounded by a soil mound. The historic area around Gyeongju was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2000. Much of it is also protected as part of Gyeongju National Park. Additionally, two villages near Gyeongju named Hahoe and Yangdong Folk Village were submitted for UNESCO heritages in 2008 or later by related cities and the South Korean government. Since the tombs were harder to break into than those of Paekche, a larger number of objects has been preserved. Notable amongst these are Silla's elaborate gold crowns and jewelry.
The massive Bronze Bell of King Seongdeok the Great of Silla is known to produce a distinctive sound.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Silla (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Silla: Key Facts
| Capital | Gyeongju |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Sillan, Old Korean |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 57 BCE |
| Dissolved | 892 CE |
Preceded by
- Byeonhan confederacy
- Later Silla
- Jinhan confederacy
- Geumgwan Gaya
- Goryeong Gaya
Succeeded by
- Later Three Kingdoms
- Later Silla
Facts from Wikidata Q28456 (CC0).
Silla Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Silla appears, with the other states of the time.
Silla Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 86,616 km² in 678 CE.
Silla: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Silla exist?
Silla is dated to 378 CE – 681 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of Silla?
The capital of Silla was Seorabeol), Saro, Sara, Seonabeol, Seoyabeol, Seobeol, Wanggyeong.
How large was Silla at its peak?
At its peak in 678 AD Silla covered about 86,616 km².
How did the map of Silla change over time?
Silla appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 400 CE to 600 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.