Shunga Empire

Shunga Empire was a state in Gangetic plain and Nepal (South Asia) that lasted from 185 to 73 BCE, about 112 years. Its people spoke Indo-Aryan languages (Vedic, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Sinhala).

Founded by the Brahmin general Pushyamitra after he killed the last Maurya. The Shungas fought the Indo-Greeks, revived Vedic sacrifices and held the Ganges plain and Malwa until their minister Vasudeva Kanva took power.

See Shunga Empire on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

185 to 73 BCE

Duration

112 years

Type

State

Region

Gangetic plain and Nepal, South Asia

Language family

Indo-Aryan

Capital

Pataliputra, Vidisha

Came from

• Maurya Empire 322 to 185 BCE

Became

• Kanva dynasty 73 to 28 BCE

Neighbours in South Asia

• Maurya Empire 322 to 185 BCE
• Anuradhapura Kingdom 377 BCE to 1017 CE
• Satavahana dynasty c. 100 BCE to 220 CE
• Indo-Greek Kingdom c. 200 BCE to 10 CE
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom c. 256 to 120 BCE
• Early Cholas c. 300 BCE to 300 CE
• Early Cheras c. 300 BCE to 300 CE
• Yaudheya confederacy c. 200 BCE to 350 CE
• Early Pandyas c. 300 BCE to 250 CE
• Kuninda Kingdom c. 200 BCE to 300 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Carthage c. 814 to 146 BCE, North and West Africa
• Teotihuacan c. 100 BCE to 550 CE, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Roman Republic 509 to 27 BCE, Europe
• Parthian Empire 247 BCE to 224 CE, Middle East
• Xiongnu Empire c. 209 BCE to 93 CE, Central and North Asia
• Ptolemaic Kingdom 305 to 30 BCE, North and West Africa
• Western Han 202 BCE to 9 CE, East Asia

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