Chronology of events Ancient India – Timeline

6000

Neolithic settlements in Baluchistan

4000-3000

Settlements in the Indus valley

3000-1500

Broad period of Indus civilisation

3000-2500

Beginning/Early phase of Indus civilisation

2700

Date of Indus seals found at Kish in Mesopotamia

2500-1750

Mature phase of Indus civilisation

Civilisation of the great cities in the Indus valley (Mohenjodaroand, Harappa), in the Punjab (Kalibangan) and Gujarat (Lothal).

1750-1500

Later phase / Decline of Indus civilisation

Immigration of the Vedic Aryans

1500-1000

Early / Rig Vedic Period

Settlement of the Aryans in the Punjab and the western Ganga-Yamuna Doab

1000

Iron in India

1000 – 600

Later Vedic Period

Settlement of the Aryans in the central and eastern Gangetic plains

Emergence of Janapadas or territorial kingdoms

Painted Grey Ware (PGW) in the areas of Aryan settlement

817

Traditional date of the birth of Parsvanatha, the 23rd tirthankara

600

Beginning of Second Urbanization in India (eastern Gangetic valley)

Rise of 16 mahajanapadas

563-483

Hitherto accepted date of Buddha

542-413

Haryankas of Magadha

540-468

Hitherto accepted date of Mahavira

518

Gandhara and Sind satrapies of the Persian empire

Behistun inscription of Darius I

413-364

Sisunagas of Magadha

364-321

Nandas of Magadha

327-325

Alexander’s Invasion of India

326

Battle of Hydaspes (Jhelum) and defeat of Porus (Purushottarn) by Alexander

321-184

Maurya Empire

305-303

Chandragupta Maurya’s war with Seleucus Nikator

272-268

War of succession between Asoka and his brothers

268-232

Asoka’s reign

260

Asoka ‘s conquest of Kalinga

257

Asoka’s conversion to Buddhism by Upagupta

250

Third Buddhist council at Pataliputra

Buddhist missions in South Asia and the Hellenistic World

248

Independence of the Greeks in Bactria

232-184

Later Mauryas

184-75

Sungas (Pushyamitra-founder, Devabhumi-last Sunga)

182

Foundation of the Indo-Greek empire by Demetrius

166-150

Menander, the most important of the Indo-Greeks

141

Sakas conquer Bactria

94

Maues, Saka king in north-western India

75-28

Kanvas (Vasudeva-founder, Susermanlast Kanva)

58

Beginning of Vikramasamvat (era) by Vikramaditya of Ujjain

Azes I, the second Saka ruler in north-western India

50

Emergence of Satavahanas in Deccan

King Kharavela of Kalinga (Hathigumpha inscription)

2

Despatch of Buddhist missionaries from the Bactrian court to the Chinese emperor

20-46

Gondophemes, the greatest Indo-Parthian king in Taxila

St Thomas in India

45

Invasion of north-western India by the Yuechis under Kujula Kadphises, established the Kushan empire

46

Discovery of monsoon winds by Hippalus, a Greek sailor

64

Chinese emperor Mingti sent agents to India for Buddhist texts

66

Arrival of Indian Buddhist monks, Kasyapa Matanga and Gobharana, in China

77

Pliny’s Natural History

78

Commencement of the Saka era by Kanishka

78-110

Reign of Kanishka; Heyday of the Kushana empire

80-128

Resurgence of Satavahanas under Gautamiputra Satakarni and Vasishtiputra Pulamayi

130-150

Rudradaman I, the greatest Saka satrap in western India

226

Establishment of Sassanian dynasty in Persia

250

Disintegration of the Satavahana kingdom

320

Beginning of Gupta era by Chandragupta I

320-335

Reign of Chandragupta I

335-375

Reign of Samudragupta, known as Indian Napoleon for his military conquests

360

Ceylonese embassy to Samudragupta’s court

375-413

Reign of Chandragupta Il, westward expansion of the Guptas and peak of Sanskrit literature

405-411

Fa-hien in India

413-455

Reign of Kumaragupta l

Foundation of the Nalanda University

455-467

Reign of Skandagupta

First attack of the Hunas

467-540

Decline of the Gupta dynasty

500-527

Rule of the Hunas over north India under Toramana and Mihirakula

527

Defeat of Mihirakula by Yasodharman

543-755

Chalukyas of Badami (Early Chalukyas)

547

Indikopleustes of Kosmas (fndicopleustes of Cosmas) – Greek merchant and traveler

560-903

Great Pallavas of Kanchipuram

606-647

Harshavardhana’s reign

622

Commencement of hijra (Muslim) era

625

The embassy of Pulakesin Il to the Persian king, Khusrau Il

630

Harsha’s clash with Pulakesin Il on the banks of the Narmada

630-643

Hiuen Tsang in India

630-1070

Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi

634

Aihole inscription of Pulakesin Il

642

Conquest of Badami by Narasimhavarman I of Kanchi

643

Harsha’s quinquennial assembly at Prayag

648

Bhaskaravarman (king of Kamarupa) helped Wang Hiuen Tse (Chinese ambassador) in restoring the successor of Harsha on the throne of Kanauj

675-685

Yijing ( Tang dynasty Chinese Buddhist monk) at Nalanda University

700-728

Reign of Narasimhavarman Il of Kanchi

Peak of prosperity and cultural activities

712

Arab’s conquest of Sind

743-789

Santarakshita and Padmasambhava (Buddhist monks) in Tibet.