The essentials
After the Mauryas, new chiefdoms and kingdoms emerged. Rulers increasingly identified themselves with divinity to claim high status. The Kushanas (c. first century BCE to first century CE) ruled a vast area from Central Asia to northwest India. Their history is reconstructed from inscriptions and textual traditions. Colossal statues of Kushana rulers have been found at a shrine at Mat near Mathura, and similar statues in Afghanistan. Many Kushana rulers took the title devaputra, "son of god", possibly inspired by Chinese rulers who called themselves sons of heaven.
By the fourth century there were large states, including the Gupta empire. Many of these depended on samantas, men who maintained themselves through local resources, including control over land, and offered homage and military support to rulers. Powerful samantas could become kings themselves.
Key points
- Histories of the Guptas are reconstructed from literature, coins and inscriptions, including prashastis, compositions in praise of kings and patrons by poets.
- The Prayaga Prashasti (Allahabad Pillar Inscription) was composed in Sanskrit by Harishena, court poet of Samudragupta.
- Prashastis praise the ruler as almost divine; they need to be read critically because they exaggerate.
- Kushana coins and statues show a deliberate projection of power.
Exam tips
- Be clear: devaputra — Kushanas; Prayaga Prashasti — Harishena for Samudragupta.
Common mistakes
- Treating prashastis as neutral records; they are praise poems.
- Confusing samantas with dhamma mahamatta.