Anuradhapura Kingdom

Anuradhapura Kingdom was a state in Tamil south and Sri Lanka (South Asia) that lasted from 377 BCE to 1017 CE, about 1,393 years. Its people spoke Indo-Aryan languages (Vedic, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Sinhala).

The first Sinhalese kingdom, ruled from a city of huge stupas and irrigation reservoirs. Buddhism arrived under Devanampiya Tissa in the 3rd century BCE, and a Chola invasion took the capital in 1017.

See Anuradhapura Kingdom on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

377 BCE to 1017 CE

Duration

1,393 years

Type

State

Region

Tamil south and Sri Lanka, South Asia

Language family

Indo-Aryan

Capital

Anuradhapura

Came from

• Early Iron Age Sri Lanka c. 900 to 377 BCE

Became

• Kingdom of Polonnaruwa 1070 to 1232 CE

Events in South Asia during its time

• 326 BCE Alexander at the Hydaspes
• 261 BCE Ashoka's Kalinga war
• 247 BCE Buddhism reaches Sri Lanka
• 127 Kanishka becomes Kushan emperor
• 499 Aryabhata writes the Aryabhatiya
• 628 Brahmagupta's rules for zero
• 712 Arab conquest of Sindh

Neighbours in South Asia

• Chola Empire 848 to 1279 CE
• Kushan Empire c. 30 to 375 CE
• Gupta Empire c. 320 to 550 CE
• Maurya Empire 322 to 185 BCE
• Pallava dynasty c. 275 to 897 CE
• Pala Empire c. 750 to 1161 CE
• Western Satraps c. 35 to 415 CE
• Satavahana dynasty c. 100 BCE to 220 CE
• Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty c. 730 to 1036 CE
• Vakataka dynasty c. 250 to 500 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Republic of Venice c. 697 to 1797 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Middle East
• Swahili city-states c. 800 to 1700 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Ghana Empire (Wagadu) c. 300 to 1200 CE, North and West Africa
• Holy Roman Empire 962 to 1806 CE, Europe
• Kingdom of Aksum c. 100 to 940 CE, North and West Africa
• Srivijaya c. 650 to 1377 CE, Southeast Asia
• Moche (Mochica) c. 100 to 800 CE, South America
• Carthage c. 814 to 146 BCE, North and West Africa

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