Chronology of Important events in Ancient Indian History

Chronologically, Indian History can be classified into three periods - Ancient India, Medieval India and Modern India. Here is a list of most important events of Ancient Indian History, sorted in chronological order.

Time Period Event Remark
600,000 BC - 10,000 BC Palaeolithic Age Upper Palaeolithic (600,000-150,000 BC)
Middle Palaeolithic (150,000-35,000 BC)
Lower Palaeolithic (35,000-10,000 BC)

Tools made of Limestone,
Fire was discovered.
9,000 BC - 3,000 BC Mesolithic Period Hunters and Herders, Microlith tools
7,000 BC - 1,000 BC Neolithic Period Food Producers, Used Polished tools.
2800 - 700 BC Chalcolithic Ganeshwar (2800-2200 BC)
Kayatha(2000-1800)
Ahar(2100-1500) - Banas Valley (Rajasthan)
Malwa(1700-1200) - MP
Jorwe(1400-700) - Maharashtra
3300 - 2600 BC Early Harappa
2600 - 1900 BC Mature Harappa
1900 - 1300 BC Late Harappan
1500 - 1100 BC Early Vedic period Rig Vedic Period
Late Bronze Age and early Iron Age.
Arrival of Aryans.
1100 - 500 BC Later Vedic period Iron Age India, 2nd Urbanization,
Establishment of Mahajanapadas
600 - 200 BC Mahajanapadas Kingdom of Magadha

544 - 492 BCE Bimbisara
492 - 460 BCE Ajatashatru
460 - 444 BCE Udayin
437 - 413 BCE Nagadasaka
413 - 395 BCE Shishunaga
395 - 367 BCE Kalashoka
563 BC Birth of Gautam Buddha Established Buddhishm
540 BC Birth of Mahavira 24th Tirthankara
518 BC Persian Invasion Dairus
483 BC 1st Buddhist Council In Rajgir with the support of Ajatsatru.
283 BC 2nd Buddhist Council Vaishali
326 BC Macedonian invasion Direct Indo-Geek contact.
247 BC 3rd Buddhist Council Pataliputra, under the patronage of Emperor Ashoka.
322 - 184 BC Maurya Empire (First pan-Indian empire) 322 - 298 BCE Chandragupta
298 - 272 BCE Bindusara
268 - 232 BCE Ashoka
232 - 224 BCE Dasharatha
202 - 195 BCE Devavarman
187 - 180 BCE Brihadrath
184 - 75 BC Shunga Empire 185 - 151 BCE Pushyamitra Shunga
151 - 141 BCE Agnimitra
83 - 75 BCE Devabhuti
75 - 30 BC Kanva dynasty 75 - 66 BCE Vasudeva Kanva (Founder)
150 BC - 225 AD Satavahanas (Andhras) Deccan region (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra)
Capital: Pratishthana (Paithan) and Amaravati (Dharanikota).
09 BC - 150 AD Sakas Rudradaman I (130-150 AD)
19 AD - 45 AD Parthians
78 AD Kushanas Kanishka (78-101 AD)
72 AD 4th Buddhist Council by Kushan emperor Kanishka in "Kashmir"
300 BC - 300 AD Sangam Age Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas
319 AD - 467 AD Gupta Age Chandragupta I (319-335)
Samudragupta (335-375)
Chandragupta II (380 - 413)
Kumaragupta I (415 - 455)
Skandagupta (455 - 467)
550 AD - 647 AD Vardhana dynasty Pushyabhuti
Harsha-vardhana (606-647 AD)
543 AD - 753 AD Chalukya dynasty 543 - 566 AD Pulakeshin I
746 - 753 AD Kirtivarman II
275 AD - 897 AD Pallava dynasty Mahendravarman I (600-630)

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The Mudrarakshasa is a Sanskrit-language play by Vishakhadatta that narrates the ascent of the king Chandragupta Maurya to power in India.

It is dated variously from the late 4th century to the 8th century CE.

Justin, the Greek writer of "Epitome" had mentioned Chandragupta Maurya as Sandrocottus - It was identified by William Jones.

Kumrahar and Bulandibagh are the area of Patna where remains of the ancient city of Pataliputra were excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India

The palace of Chandragupta Maurya was inspired by the Achaemenid palaces at Persepolis in Iran. Wood was the principal building material.

Chandragupta Maurya conquered Deccan including - Malwa, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The Junagarh Rock Edict of Rudradaman proves Chandragupta's sway over Western India (Gujarat).

Indika is an account of Mauryan India by the Greek writer Megasthenes.

Megasthenes reveals that Indian society was divided into seven classes: philosophers, cultivators, herdsman, artisans and traders, soldiers, overseers, and councilors.

Megasthenes was the Greek ambassador sent by Seleucus Nicator in 302 BC to the court of the Indian king Chandragupta of the Mauryan Empire.

Chandragupta Maurya defeated "Seleucus Nicator", a general of the Greek King, Alexander in 315 BC.

Chanakya's original name was Vishnu Gupta yet he is recognized for his pen name Kautilya. He wrote 'Arthashastra' on the Science of Politics (Principal of Governance) and Economics between the 2nd century BCE and 3rd century CE.

Deimachus came to India during the reign of Bindusara.

Sudarshan Lake (Gujarat) in the middle of Girnaar hill, lake was constructed by the order of Chandragupta Maurya.

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India's first "hospital" and "herbal gardens" were built by Ashoka.

Ashoka and Dashrath were the followers of "Buddhism".

Rajjuka's were - Officers in the Mauryan administration.

The Lion capital comes from a column at Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh, built by Ashoka.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi, India was originally built in the 3rd century BC by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka and is believed to house ashes of the Buddha.

Most of Ashoka's inscriptions are in dialects of Prakrit and are written in an early form of the Brahmi script.

Pre-Ashokan Brahmi script was found at - Anuradhapura.

Brahmins, women, children, armorers, and king's men were exempted from tax.

The administration was strict during that time and any fraud in the payment of tax was punishable with the death penalty.

Bhaga was levied on agricultural produce and the cattle at the rate of one-sixth (Shadabhaga) whereas Bali was a religious tribute.

Taxila was the most famous learning centre during maurya Period.

The last of the Mauryas, Brihadratha, was assassinated by his Brahman commander in chief, "Pushyamitra", who founded the Shunga dynasty.