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Satavahanas
The Satavahana dynasty was established in the western Deccan in the first century BC. It is also known as the Andhra dynasty, leading to the assumption that they originated in the Andhra region, in the deltas of the Krishna and Godavari Rivers on the east coast.
The Satavahanas moved westwards up the Godavari River, finally establishing their power in the western Deccan. The break-up of the Mauryan Empire is believed to have assisted in this process. Ashoka mentioned the Andhras in his domain but not as a conquered kingdom.
The widely held opinion now is that the Satavahanas originated in the west and later extended their control to the eastern coast, associated with the name Andhra.
The rise of the Satavahanas followed the pattern of transition from chiefdom to kingdom, with newly established kings performing Vedic sacrifices to legitimize their rule. Their administration reflected a continuation of chiefdoms in the designations of administrators.
The Satavahanas likely developed political ambitions because they held administrative positions under the Mauryas and saw the potential for independent kingship after the empire's disintegration.
The earliest of the Satavahana kings to receive wide recognition was Satakarni due to his policy of military expansion.
The western possessions of the Satavahanas were annexed by the Shakas, whom Satakarni had feared. By the first century AD, the Shakas controlled the region north of the River Narmada.
By the end of the second century, the Satavahana domain stretched from western India to the Krishna delta and northern Tamil Nadu.
The Satavahanas refrained from taking imperial titles, possibly recognizing that their control over local chiefs and kings was not strong enough to justify such titles.
Administration was largely in local hands, with the village as the main administrative unit.
The Abhiras and the Traikutakas of western India took advantage of the declining Satavahana power.
Further south, the kingdoms of the Shalankayanas, Brihatpalayanas, and Ikshvakus arose around the third to fourth centuries AD.
The Satavahana dynasty, according to some interpretations based on the Puranas, belonged to the Andhra jati (a tribe) and was the first Deccanese dynasty to build an empire in Daksinapatha (the southern region).
At their zenith, the Satavahanas held distant areas of western and central India. Based on Puranic evidence, their ascendancy can be dated to late in the 1st century BCE, although some authorities trace the family to the 3rd century BCE.
Most of our knowledge about the Satavahanas comes from inscriptional and numismatic evidence found in regions like Nasik and Nanaghat. The Satavahanas emerged out of the ruins of the Mauryan Empire, which declined and disintegrated by the first half of the 2nd century BCE.
Initially under the sway of the Mauryans, the Andhra country and the Deccan were subsequently ruled by the Satavahanas and the Chedi rulers of Odisha. The first king, Simuka, is suggested to have begun his reign around 230 BCE according to Puranic lists.
They faced conflicts with contemporary forces, notably the Sakas of Seistan, and later revived under Gotami-putra Satakarni. Gotami-putra Satakarni extended the Satavahana rule significantly, as evidenced by inscriptions like the one at Nashik.
After Yajnashri Satakarni, the empire gradually declined, eventually ending around the mid-3rd century BCE.
The most important of the native successors of the Mauryas in the Deccan and central India were the Satavahanas, who are considered identical with the Andhras mentioned in the Puranas.
The earliest inscriptions of the Satavahanas belong to the 1st century BCE, when they defeated the Kanvas and established their power in parts of central India. The early Satavahana kings appeared not in Andhra but in Maharashtra, where most of their early inscriptions have been found. They set up their power in the upper Godavari valley, which presently produces rich and diverse crops in Maharashtra.
Gradually, the Satavahanas extended their power over Karnataka and Andhra. Their greatest competitors were the Sakas, who had established their power in the upper Deccan and western India.
At one stage, the Satavahanas were dispossessed of their dominions by the Sakas in Maharashtra and western India. The fortunes of the family were restored by Gautamiputra Satakarni (A.D. 106-130). He called himself the only Brahmana, defeated the Sakas, and destroyed many Kshatriya rulers. He claims to have destroyed the Kshaharata lineage, to which his adversary Nahapana belonged.
This claim is supported by over 8,000 silver coins of Nahapana found near Nasik, which bear marks of being restruck by the Satavahana king. Gautamiputra Satakarni also occupied Malwa and Kathiawar, which were under the control of the Sakas. It is believed that his empire extended from Malwa in the north to Karnataka in the south, and he possibly held general authority over Andhra.
The successors of Gautamiputra ruled until A.D. 220. The coins and inscriptions of his immediate successor, Vasisthiputra Pulumayi (A.D. 130-154), are found in Andhra, showing that by the middle of the 2nd century, this region had become part of the Satavahana kingdom. He established his capital at Paithan (Pratisthan) on the Godavari in Aurangabad district. The Sakas resumed conflicts with the Satavahanas for control of the Konkan coast and Malwa.
Rudradaman I (A.D. 130-150), the Saka ruler of Saurashtra, defeated the Satavahanas twice but did not destroy them due to matrimonial relations.
Yayna Sri Satakarni (A.D. 165-194), one of the later kings, recovered North Konkan and Malwa from the Saka rulers. He was a lover of trade and navigation, as evidenced by his coins, which have been found in Andhra, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. His passion for maritime trade is shown by the representation of a ship on his coins.
The Satavahana rulers followed the royal ideal set forth in the Dharmasastras. The king was portrayed as the upholder of dharma and assigned divine attributes. He was compared to legendary figures like Rama, Bhima, Kesava, and Arjuna to emphasize his divine status.
The Satavahanas retained some administrative units from Ashokan times. Their districts were called ahara, and officials held titles like amatya and mahamatra, similar to those in the Maurya administration.
However, the administration had strong military and feudal elements. The senapati (army commander) was appointed as a provincial governor to maintain military control over the Deccan's tribal population.
Rural administration was led by a gaulmika, commanding a regiment of nine chariots, nine elephants, 25 horses, and 45 foot soldiers. Military settlements, termed kataka and skandhavaras, functioned as administrative centers.
The Satavahanas granted tax-free villages to Brahmanas and Buddhist monks, ensuring that these areas were free from royal officers and police interference. These grants helped in spreading Buddhism and Brahmanism.
The kingdom had three grades of feudatories: Raja (who could mint coins), Mahabhoja, and Senapati. Local administration was largely decentralized, with feudatories governing under the control of royal officials.
The Satavahanas were originally a tribe of the Deccan but were later Brahmanized. Gautamiputra Satakarni claimed to have restored the four-fold varna system, which had been disrupted by the Saka invasion.
Trade and commerce flourished, with traders actively supporting Buddhist monasteries. Many artisans, including the gandhikas (perfumers), contributed donations.
The Satavahanas followed a matrilineal naming system, naming kings after their mothers, as seen in Gautamiputra and Vasisthiputra. Queens played important roles, but succession remained patriarchal.
The Satavahanas played a crucial role in economic expansion. They intensified agriculture, increased commodity production, and engaged in extensive trade within and beyond the Indian subcontinent. They dominated Indian trade with the Roman Empire, controlling the Indian coastline. Large settlements emerged in fertile areas, with significant land clearance for agriculture and the construction of irrigation reservoirs.
The Satavahana rulers identified as Brahmanas and actively supported Brahmanism by performing Vedic sacrifices and worshipping Vaishnava deities such as Krishna and Vasudeva. However, they also patronized Buddhism by granting land to monks and supporting Mahayana Buddhism, which flourished in their kingdom. Important Buddhist centers like Nagarjunakonda and Amaravati received royal grants and contributions from wealthy merchants. Buddhism also thrived in Nasik and Junar. The Satavahanas significantly contributed to Indian culture by supporting both Buddhism and Brahmanism, reviving Vedic practices, and elevating the status of women, as evidenced by sculptures and inscriptions. Their naming practices were unique, with emperors often deriving their names from the female lineage.
The material culture of the Satavahanas blended local and northern influences. The people of the Deccan were skilled in ironworking and agriculture. Various iron tools, including hoes, sickles, and ploughshares, became more prevalent. They may have exploited the iron ores of Karimnagar and Warangal, as well as the gold deposits in the Kolar fields. The Satavahanas primarily used lead, potin, copper, and bronze coins. The Deccan's economy thrived, with advanced agricultural techniques like paddy transplantation. The region between the Krishna and Godavari rivers became a major rice-producing area. Trade flourished, as evidenced by the presence of numerous Roman and Satavahana coins. Urbanization progressed, with towns featuring brick wells, underground drainage systems, and lasting architectural structures.
The official language of the Satavahanas was Prakrit, which was used in inscriptions and official records. King Hala’s Gathasaptasati, a collection of poems, remains an important Prakrit literary work. Sanskrit was occasionally used in political inscriptions. Bilingual coins featuring both Middle Indo-Aryan and Tamil inscriptions were also issued.
The Satavahanas were among the earliest Indian rulers to issue coins with portraits. Their coins, primarily made of lead and copper, have been widely discovered in the Deccan region, with a few in gold and silver.
The Satavahanas were great builders, particularly known for rock-cut temples and monasteries. Many of these structures, including the early caves at Nasik, served as places of worship and residences for monks. The most famous chaitya is Karle, near Pune, featuring a deeply carved horseshoe-shaped arch and an elaborately decorated facade. Viharas at Ajanta and Ellora were also constructed during their reign, showcasing paintings and Buddhist motifs. Rock-cut architecture peaked in the Krishna-Godavari region, with the Amaravati Stupa standing as a remarkable structure adorned with intricate carvings. Later, the stupa was renovated and expanded by the Ikshvakus and Pallavas.
Satavahana paintings are the earliest surviving specimens in India, found only at the Ajanta Caves. While many have been lost over time due to natural factors and vandalism, fragments remain in caves containing chaitya-grihas with stupas.
The Satavahanas left a rich legacy, reviving Vedic Brahmanism while also assimilating diverse religious faiths. They played a vital role in shaping the history of the Deccan region and Bharatavarsha. Their contributions in military strength, economic power, and architecture significantly influenced the development of Indian civilization.
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