Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 AD and covered most of North-central India. The time of the Gupta Empire is referred to as Golden Age of India in science, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy. Historians place the Gupta dynasty alongside with the Han Dynasty, Tang Dynasty and Roman Empire as a model of a classical civilization.
The Guptas most probably came from Bengal. At the beginning of the 4th century the Guptas ruled a few small Hindu kingdoms in Magadha and around modern-day Uttar Pradesh.
We get plenty of information about this dynasty through coins, inscriptions, monuments and Sanskrit writings. The Gupta rulers were great conquerors and good administrators. This brought on a series of invasions which weakened the empire, but many of their cultural and intellectual achievements were saved and transmitted to other cultures and live on today. Fa Hien visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II and stayed in this country for several years.
People led a simple life. Commodities were affordable and all round prosperity ensured that their requirements were met easily. They preferred vegetarianism and shunned alcoholic beverages. Gold and silver coins were issued in great numbers which is a general indicative of the health of the economy. Trade and commerce flourished both within the country and outside. Silk, cotton, spices, medicine, priceless gemstones, pearl, precious metal and steel were exported by sea.
Gupta dynasty
The Gupta dynasty ruled by the Gupta Empire of India, from around 320 to 550.
Some of its main rulers were:
- Chandragupta
- Samudragupta
- Ramagupta
- Chandragupta II
- Kumaragupta I
- Skandagupta
- Narasimhagupta
- Buddhagupta
- Purugupta
- Vishnugupta
- Pushpak
Further reading
- Karls, Farah. World History The Human Experience.
| Preceded by Kanva dynasty |
Magadha dynasties 240-550 AD |
Succeeded by Pala dynasty |
Gupta Empire Media
Queen Kumaradevi and King Chandragupta I on a coin of their son Samudragupta 350 380 CE
Standing Buddha in red sandstone, Art of Mathura, Gupta period c. 5th century CE. Mathura Museum
Gold coins of Chandragupta II
Silver coin of the Gupta King Kumaragupta I (Coin of his Western territories, design derived from the Western Satraps).*Obv: Bust of king with crescents, with traces of corrupt Greek script.*Rev: Garuda standing facing with spread wings. Brahmi legend: Parama-bhagavata rajadhiraja Sri Kumaragupta Mahendraditya.
An 8 gm gold coin featuring Chandragupta II astride a caparisoned horse with a bow in his left hand
Dharmachakra Pravartana Buddha at Sarnath from the Gupta era, 5th century CE
Maharaja Sri Gupta inscription on the Allahabad pillar Samudragupta inscription
Maharaja Sri Ghatotkacha inscription on the Allahabad pillar Samudragupta inscription
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Other websites
- Frontline Article on Gupta Period Art Archived 2008-12-04 at the Wayback Machine
+Golden Coins The Guptas were the first to introduce a coinage across their empire.This showed both their wealth-as some coins were trying to unify the empire by using the same coins over the empire.