Home Region:  North India (South Asia)

Gupta Empire

320 CE 550 CE
EQ 2020  in_gupta_emp / InGupta
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  General Description  
The Gupta polity ran from 320-514 CE, with its peak considered to be around 400 CE during the reign of Skanda-Gupta. [1]
At its largest, the Gupta empire spanned up to 900,000 square kilometres across north and south India, which it had full and direct control over, as well as southern India indirectly. The cities of Ujjain and Pataliputra seem to have both served as capital cities. While the total population is not known, the largest settlement, Pataliputra, is thought to have had a population of 150,000 people in 360 CE. [2] , Kulke and Rothermund (2004) [3] and Stein (2010) [4] .

Trade flourished under the Gupta Empire both internally across India as well as through overseas trading routes with China and the Roman Empire. Among their exports were pearls, gems, diamonds and precious metals. [1]
Common religions practiced in this polity included Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism from both the Vaisnava and Saiva Traditions, though none claimed to be the exclusive or ‘correct’ religion. [5]

[1]: (Keay 2010, 146) Keay, John. 2010. India: A History. New Updated Edition. London: HarperPress. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/HSHAKZ3X.

[2]: (Agrawal 1989)

[3]: (Kulke and Rothermund 2004)

[4]: (Stein 2010)

[5]: (Bisschop 2010, 478) Bisschop, Peter. 2010. “Saivism in the Gupta-Vakataka Age.” Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 20 (4):477-88.Seshat URL: .https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/collectionKey/M52PA8IW/itemKey/BHH5W2PV

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.
Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.
Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp) was in:
 (320 CE 514 CE) Middle Ganga
Home NGA: Middle Ganga

General Variables
Identity and Location Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Capital 320 CE  550 CE
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Capital 320 CE  550 CE
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Temporal Bounds Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Peak Years
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Duration
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Political and Cultural Relations Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Suprapolity Relations 320 CE  550 CE
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Degree of Centralization 320 CE  550 CE
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Language Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
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Linguistic Family 320 CE  550 CE
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Language 320 CE  550 CE
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Language 320 CE  550 CE
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Religion Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Religion Genus Hinduism 320 CE  550 CE
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Religion Family Vaisnava Traditions 320 CE  550 CE
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Alternate Religion Genus Buddhism 320 CE  550 CE
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Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Population of the Largest Settlement 320 CE  550 CE
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Polity Territory 320 CE  550 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Settlement Hierarchy 320 CE  550 CE
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Religious Level 320 CE  550 CE
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Military Level 320 CE  550 CE
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Administrative Level 320 CE  550 CE
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Professions Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
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Professional Soldier 320 CE  550 CE
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Professional Priesthood 320 CE  550 CE
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Professional Military Officer Unknown Suspected 320 CE  550 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Government Building 320 CE  550 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat 320 CE  550 CE
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Law Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Lawyer 320 CE  550 CE
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320 CE  550 CE
Specialized Buildings: polity owned Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Irrigation System 320 CE  550 CE
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Food Storage Site 320 CE  550 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Port 320 CE  550 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Mines or Quarry 320 CE  550 CE
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Information / Writing System Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Written Record 320 CE  550 CE
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Script 320 CE  550 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing 320 CE  550 CE
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Nonwritten Record 320 CE  550 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing Absent 320 CE  550 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Scientific Literature 320 CE  550 CE
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Sacred Text 320 CE  550 CE
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Religious Literature 320 CE  550 CE
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Practical Literature 320 CE  550 CE
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Philosophy 320 CE  550 CE
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History 320 CE  550 CE
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Fiction 320 CE  550 CE
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Calendar 320 CE  550 CE
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Information / Money Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Token 320 CE  550 CE
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Indigenous Coin 320 CE  550 CE
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Information / Postal System Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Postal Station 320 CE  550 CE
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General Postal Service 320 CE  550 CE
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Courier 320 CE  550 CE
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Information / Measurement System Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
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Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Wooden Palisade 320 CE  550 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared 320 CE  550 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared 320 CE  550 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position Unknown Suspected 320 CE  550 CE
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Modern Fortification Absent 320 CE  550 CE
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Moat 320 CE  550 CE
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Fortified Camp Unknown Suspected 320 CE  550 CE
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Earth Rampart 320 CE  550 CE
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Ditch 320 CE  550 CE
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Complex Fortification 320 CE  550 CE
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Military use of Metals Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Steel 320 CE  550 CE
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Iron Present 320 CE  550 CE
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Copper 320 CE  550 CE
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Bronze 320 CE  550 CE
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Projectiles Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Tension Siege Engine 320 CE  550 CE
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Sling Siege Engine Unknown Suspected 320 CE  550 CE
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Sling 320 CE  550 CE
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Self Bow 320 CE  550 CE
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Handheld Firearm Absent 320 CE  550 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery Absent 320 CE  550 CE
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Crossbow 320 CE  550 CE
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Composite Bow 320 CE  550 CE
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Atlatl 320 CE  550 CE
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Handheld weapons Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
War Club 320 CE  550 CE
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Sword 320 CE  550 CE
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Spear 320 CE  550 CE
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Polearm 320 CE  550 CE
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Dagger 320 CE  550 CE
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Battle Axe 320 CE  550 CE
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Animals used in warfare Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Horse 320 CE  550 CE
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Elephant 320 CE  550 CE
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Donkey Unknown Suspected 320 CE  550 CE
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Camel Unknown Suspected 320 CE  550 CE
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Armor Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Wood Bark Etc 320 CE  550 CE
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Shield 320 CE  550 CE
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Scaled Armor Unknown Suspected 320 CE  550 CE
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Plate Armor 320 CE  550 CE
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Limb Protection 320 CE  550 CE
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Leather Cloth 320 CE  550 CE
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Laminar Armor Unknown Suspected 320 CE  550 CE
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Helmet 320 CE  550 CE
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Chainmail 320 CE  550 CE
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Breastplate 320 CE  550 CE
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Naval technology Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Military Vessel 320 CE  550 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc 320 CE  550 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service Unknown Suspected 320 CE  550 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Religion Variables
Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad 320 CE  550 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary 320 CE  550 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic 320 CE  550 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life 320 CE  550 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward 320 CE  550 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted 320 CE  550 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife 320 CE  550 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers 320 CE  550 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain 320 CE  550 CE
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Human Sacrifice Gupta Empire (in_gupta_emp)
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Instability Data
Power Transitions