Home Region: Southern India (South Asia)

Satavahana Empire

100 BCE 200 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 in_satavahana_emp / InSataL

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI; Mauryan Empire] [None] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

255 CE 550 CE Vakataka Kingdom (in_vakataka_k) [None]

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General Description

The Satavahanas were the first Deccan-based dynasty to rule over an empire encompassing both southern and northern India, stretching from the Deccan Plateau in the south to Madhya Pradesh in the north, and touching both the western and eastern coasts. ^[1] According to the most widely accepted hypothesis, based on numismatic, archaeological and textual evidence, this polity existed between the beginning of the 1st century BCE and the end of the 2nd century CE, though many scholars are reluctant to assign absolute dates to specific kings. ^[2]
Notable rulers include Gautamiputra Satakarani, Vasistiputra, Pulamavi, and Yajnasri. Under their governance, Indian commerce with the Western world intensified and there was a florescence of the arts, particularly in the field of Buddhist iconography. ^[1] However, records are scanty when it comes to the empire’s middle century, which suggests that the Satavahana polity went through two phases of power and prosperity, with an intervening period of regionalization, and perhaps even collapse. ^[2]
Population and political organization
The Satavahana polity was ruled by an emperor. ^[3] He was aided, at court, by a number of officials, including attendants and advisors, the mahasenapati (army commander), the superintendent of stores, the treasurer, officials tasked with drafting and registering his documents, and officials tasked with supervising feudal lords. ^[3] ^[4] The provinces were governed by feudal lords who were related by blood to the royal family, by lords who struck coins in their own name (perhaps indicating some degree of autonomy from the Satavahanas themselves), and by military commanders in charge of outlying centres. ^[3] The fact that the empire likely suffered some sort of collapse in its middle period suggests that it may have been overly dependent on the abilities of individual rulers rather than a well-designed administrative structure. ^[2]
No population estimates for this period could be found in the specialist literature.

[1]: (Murthy and Ramakrishnan 1978, 25-26) H. V. Sreenivasa Murthy and R. Ramakrishnan. 1978. A History of Karnataka. New Delhi: S. Chand.

[2]: (Sinopoli 2001, 166) Carla Sinopoli. 2001. ’On the Edge of Empire: Form and Substance in the Satavahana Dynasty’, in Empires: Perspectives from Archaeology and History, edited by Susan Alcock, Terence D’Altroy, Kathleen D. Morrison and Carla Sinopoli, 155-78. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[3]: (Kamath 1980, 25) Suryanatha Kamath. 1980. A Concise History of Karnataka. Bangalore: Archana Prakashana.

[4]: (Murthy and Ramakrishnan 1978, 32-33) H. V. Sreenivasa Murthy and R. Ramakrishnan. 1978. A History of Karnataka. New Delhi: S. Chand.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

2 Capital

3 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

2 Degree of Centralization

Language

2 Linguistic Family

2 Language

Religion

1 Religion Genus

3 Religion Family

1 Alternate Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

2 Polity Territory

3 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

1 Trading Emporia

1 Other Special Purpose Site

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions

13 Power Transition

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp) was in:
(100 BCE 203 CE)	Deccan

Home NGA: Deccan

General Variables

Identity and Location Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	43 P	100 BCE 200 CE
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Original Name	Satavahana Empire	100 BCE 200 CE
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Capital	Pratisthana	100 BCE 200 CE
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Capital	Benakataka	100 BCE 200 CE
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Alternative Name	Late Satavahanas	100 BCE 200 CE
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Alternative Name	Shatavahana Empire	100 BCE 200 CE
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Alternative Name	Andhra Empire	100 BCE 200 CE
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Temporal Bounds Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[106 CE ➜ 130 CE]
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Duration	[100 BCE ➜ 200 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none	100 BCE 200 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Vakataka Kingdom	100 BCE 200 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Preceding Entity	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI; Mauryan Empire [None] Update here
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Succeeding Entity 255 CE 550 CE	Vakataka Kingdom (in_vakataka_k) [None]
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Degree of Centralization	loose	100 BCE 200 CE
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	100 BCE 200 CE
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Language Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-Iranian	100 BCE 200 CE
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Linguistic Family	Dravidian	100 BCE 200 CE
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Language	Prakrit	100 BCE 200 CE
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Language	Kannada	100 BCE 200 CE
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Religion Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion Genus	Hinduism	100 BCE 200 CE
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Religion Family	Bhagavatist Traditions	100 BCE 200 CE
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Religion Family	Saivist Traditions	100 BCE 200 CE
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Religion Family	Vedist Traditions	100 BCE 200 CE
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Alternate Religion	Uncoded Undecided	100 BCE 200 CE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	84,000 people	100 BCE 200 CE
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Polity Territory	[1,200,000 to 1,400,000] km²	100 BCE 99 CE
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Polity Territory	[1,400,000 to 1,600,000] km²	100 CE 200 CE
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Polity Population	[7,000,000 to 8,000,000] people	100 BCE 1 BCE
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Polity Population	[7,250,000 to 8,250,000] people	0 CE 100 CE
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Polity Population	[8,500,000 to 9,500,000] people	100 CE 200 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	4	100 BCE 200 CE
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Religious Level	[1 to 2]	100 BCE 200 CE
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Military Level	[4 to 5]	100 BCE 200 CE
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Administrative Level	5	100 BCE 200 CE
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Professions Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Examination System	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Law Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Judge	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Court	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Port	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Canal	Uncoded Undecided	100 BCE 200 CE
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Bridge	- Undecided	100 BCE 200 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Trading Emporia	Uncoded Undecided	100 BCE 200 CE
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Other Special Purpose Site	Uncoded Undecided	100 BCE 200 CE
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Information / Writing System Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Script	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Sacred Text	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Practical Literature	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Philosophy	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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History	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Fiction	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Calendar	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Information / Money Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Uncoded Undecided	100 BCE 200 CE
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Precious Metal	Uncoded Undecided	100 BCE 200 CE
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Paper Currency	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Article	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Information / Postal System Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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General Postal Service	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Courier	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Information / Measurement System Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
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Moat	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Ditch	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Complex Fortification	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Military use of Metals Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Iron	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Copper	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Bronze	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Projectiles Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
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Sling	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Self Bow	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Javelin	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
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Crossbow	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Composite Bow	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	100 BCE 200 CE
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Handheld weapons Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Sword	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Spear	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Polearm	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Dagger	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Animals used in warfare Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Elephant	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Donkey	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Camel	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Armor Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Shield	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Scaled Armor	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Plate Armor	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Limb Protection	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Laminar Armor	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Helmet	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Chainmail	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Breastplate	Present Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Naval technology Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Unknown Suspected	100 BCE 200 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	100 BCE 200 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Inferred	100 BCE 200 CE
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Human Sacrifice Satavahana Empire (in_satavahana_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More