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Mahajanapadas with their capital and modern day location
The Mahajanapada were sixteen kingdoms or oligarchic republics that existed in Northern ancient India from the 600-400 BCE during the second urbanisation period.
Sixteen states or Mahajanapadas are mentioned in the "Buddhist Jatakas, Anguttara Nikaya".
The first documented coinage is deemed to start with 'Punch Marked (Anhat)' coins issued between the 7th-6th century BC and 1stcentury AD.
Mostly made of silver, these bear symbols, each of which was punched on the coin with a separate punch.
Ujjain was known as 'Avantika' in ancient times.
Magadha rose into prominence in 6th Century BC, under the rule of Bimbisara who belonged to the Haryanka dynasty.
Vaishali, the world's first republic was founded by Licchavi.
Ajatsatru, ruler of Magadha murdered his father to ascend the throne and, in turn was murdered by his own son.
Jivaka was the personal physician of the Buddha and the Indian King Bimbisara.
Here is a list of 16 Janapadas and Mahajanapadas with their capital and modern day location.
| Janapadas & Mahajanapadas | Capital | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anga | Champa | Monger and Bhagalpur in Bihar | mud forts, swallowed by "Magadha" |
| Magadha | Rajgriha (Girivraj), Patliputra - Both Fortified | Patna, Gaya, and parts of Shahabad | King: Ajatshatru |
| Vajji | Vaishali | Basarh, Vaishali district, Bihar. | Lichchhavis |
| Kashi | Varanasi | Varanasi (UP). | succumbed to "Koshala" |
| Kosala | Sravasti | Faziabad, Gonda, Bahraich of eastern UP | King: Prasenjit |
| Malla | Kusinara and Pawa | Kasia in Deoria district, UP | - |
| Chedi | Shuktimati | Bundelkhand region | - |
| Kuru | Indraprastha | Haryana and Delhi. | - |
| Vatsas | Kaushambi | Allahabad, Mirzapur | "Kuru" from "Hastinapur", King: Udayana |
| Panchala | Ahichhatra and Kampilya | Western UP | - |
| Matsya | Viratanagara | Alwar, Bhartpur and Jaipur in Rajasthan. | - |
| Sursena | Mathura | Mathura (UP) | - |
| Avanti | Ujjain and Mahishamati | Western India (Malawa) | King: Pradyot |
| Ashmaka | Potana | South India, between the rivers Narmada and Godavari. | - |
| Kamboja | Rajapura (Kashmir) | Hindukush (Hazara, Pakistan) | - |
| Gandhara | Taxila | Western Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. | - |
