Vakataka Kingdom: Map & History
The Vakataka dynasty was an ancient Indian dynasty that originated from the Deccan in the mid-3rd century CE.
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The Vakataka dynasty was an ancient Indian dynasty that originated from the Deccan in the mid-3rd century CE. Their state is believed to have extended from the southern edges of Malwa and Gujarat in the north to the Tungabhadra River in the south as well as from the Arabian Sea in the west to the edges of Chhattisgarh in the east. They were the most important successors of the Satavahanas in the Deccan and contemporaneous with the Guptas in northern India.
Modern Countries Once Part of Vakataka Kingdom
At its mapped extent, Vakataka Kingdom 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 Vakataka Kingdom'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.
Vakataka Kingdom in Depth
Origins
Historian Ramaprasad Chanda proposed an early southern connection for the Vakatakas on the basis of an inscription from Amaravati in present-day Andhra Pradesh, dated to around the middle of the third century CE, which mentions a householder named Vakataka. He considered this evidence relevant to tracing the early presence of the Vakatakas in the Deccan. V. V. Mirashi subsequently developed the theory of a southern origin and associated the early Vakatakas with the Deccan. In addition to the Amaravati inscription, he drew attention to similarities between certain expressions used in the Vakataka and Pallava copper-plate grants, particularly those of the Vatsagulma branch.
Alternative source for the dynasty's decline
According to the eighth ucchvāsaḥ of the Dashakumaracharita of Dandin, which was written probably around 125 years after the fall of the Vakataka dynasty, Harishena's son, though intelligent and accomplished in all arts, neglected the study of the Dandaniti (Political Science) and gave himself up to the enjoyment of pleasures and indulged in all sorts of vices. His subjects also followed him and led a vicious and dissolute life. Finding this a suitable opportunity, the ruler of the neighbouring Ashmaka sent his minister's son to the court of the Vakatakas. The latter ingratiated himself with the king and egged him on in his dissolute life. He also decimated his forces by various means.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Vakataka dynasty (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Vakataka Kingdom: Key Facts
| Capital | Washim |
|---|---|
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Founded | 250 CE |
| Dissolved | 500 CE |
Preceded by
Facts from Wikidata Q1501306 (CC0).
Vakataka Kingdom Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Vakataka Kingdom appears, with the other states of the time.
Vakataka Kingdom Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 671,270 km² in 550 CE.
Vakataka Kingdom: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Vakataka Kingdom exist?
The Vakataka Kingdom is dated to 260 CE – 554 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of the Vakataka Kingdom?
The capital of the Vakataka Kingdom was Vatsagulma (Now Washim).
How large was the Vakataka Kingdom at its peak?
At its peak in 550 AD the Vakataka Kingdom covered about 671,270 km².
How did the map of the Vakataka Kingdom change over time?
The Vakataka Kingdom appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 300 CE to 500 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.