Home Region:  North India (South Asia)

Magadha - Sunga Empire

187 BCE 65 BCE
EQ 2020  in_sunga_emp / InSunga
Preceding Entity:
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Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.
75 BCE 30 BCE Magadha - Kanva Dynasty (in_kanva_dyn)    [continuity]

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  General Description  
This period begins with the ascension of Puṣyamitra Shunga in 187 BCE.
The Shunga Empire territory was about 4 million km2, encompassing central and eastern India. The polity population is considered to be anywhere between 18 and 100 million at varying times, while the population of the largest settlement, likely the imperial capital of Pataliputra, may have up to 270 thousand inhabitants.
There were four main settlement types during this period: the imperial capital of Pataliputra, large secondary centres such as Taxila, Mathura, Brita, smaller town-like settlements, and villages.
The main religion practiced in this polity was Hinduism. Shunga rulers in particular are said to have practiced an ‘aggressive’ Vedic Hinduism, which according to Buddhist sources, led to their monks being persecuted.
Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp) was in:
 (187 BCE 65 BCE) Middle Ganga
Home NGA: Middle Ganga

General Variables
Identity and Location Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Capital 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Capital 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Duration
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Political and Cultural Relations Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Succeeding Entity
75 BCE 30 BCE
Magadha - Kanva Dynasty (in_kanva_dyn)   [continuity]  Suspected
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Degree of Centralization 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Language Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Language 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Language 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Religion Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Religion Genus Hinduism 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Religion Family Vedic Traditions 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Alternate Religion Uncoded Undecided 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Population of the Largest Settlement 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Polity Territory 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Polity Population 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Settlement Hierarchy 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Professions Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Bureaucracy Characteristics Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Government Building 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Law Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Lawyer 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Food Storage Site 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Special-purpose Sites Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Information / Writing System Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Written Record 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Script 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Nonwritten Record 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Scientific Literature 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Sacred Text 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Religious Literature 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Practical Literature 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Fiction 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Calendar 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Information / Money Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Indigenous Coin 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Information / Postal System Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Postal Station 187 BCE  65 BCE
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General Postal Service 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Courier 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Wooden Palisade 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position Unknown Suspected 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Modern Fortification Absent 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Moat 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Fortified Camp Unknown Suspected 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Earth Rampart 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Ditch 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Complex Fortification 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Military use of Metals Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Steel 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Iron 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Copper Present 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Bronze Present 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Projectiles Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Tension Siege Engine 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Self Bow 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Javelin 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Composite Bow 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Composite Bow 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Atlatl 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Handheld weapons Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
War Club 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Sword 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Spear 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Polearm 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Dagger 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Battle Axe 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Horse 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Elephant 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Armor Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Wood Bark Etc 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Shield 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Scaled Armor 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Plate Armor 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Limb Protection 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Leather Cloth 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Laminar Armor 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Helmet 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Breastplate 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Naval technology Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Religion Variables
Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain 187 BCE  65 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Magadha - Sunga Empire (in_sunga_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Instability Data
Power Transitions