Gupta empire

1. Gupta Empire
Golden Age of India

2. Gupta Empire: AD 320 – 500 Gupta Empire: AD 320 – 500

3. Gupta RulersGupta Rulers
 Chandra GuptaChandra Gupta II
 AD 320 – 340 AD 320 – 340
 First king of Gupta First king of Gupta
empireempire

4. SamudraguptaSamudragupta
 AD 340 – 380 AD 340 – 380
 Expantion of kingdom takes placeExpantion of kingdom takes place
 Defeated shakes rulers Defeated shakes rulers
 Chandra Gupta II (Vikramadittya)Chandra Gupta II (Vikramadittya)
 AD 380 - 415AD 380 - 415
 Profitable trade withProfitable trade with
the Mediterranean the Mediterranean
world! world!
 Huns invade – defeated by gupta Huns invade – defeated by gupta
kings kings

5. Chandra Gupta 2 (Vikramadittya)Chandra Gupta 2 (Vikramadittya)

6. Chandragupta and Kumardevi
are shown,
Chandragupta is offering a ring
(or putting Sindur) to his queen
Kumardevi.
Chandra in Brahmi script is
written below left arm of King
while Shri-Kumardevi is written
near right hand of queen
Reverse of coin shows goddess
Laxmi, Appears on all coins
minted by gupta kinga.
Coins in Gupta empire
Coine minted by Chandragupta :

7. Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta IndiaFa-Hsien: Life in Gupta India
 Chinese Buddhist monk traveled Chinese Buddhist monk traveled
along the Silk Road and visited along the Silk Road and visited
India in the 5c.India in the 5c.
 He reported the people to He reported the people to
be happy, relatively free of be happy, relatively free of
government oppression, and government oppression, and
inclined towards courtesy and inclined towards courtesy and
charity. charity.

8. International Trade Routes during International Trade Routes during
the Guptasthe Guptas

9. Extensive Trade:4cExtensive Trade:4c
s
p
i
c
e
s
s
p
i
c
e
s
spicesspices
gold & ivory
gold & ivory gold & ivorygold & ivory
rice & wheat
rice & wheat
horses
horses
cotton goods
cotton goods
cotton goods
cotton goods
silks
silks

10. KalidasaKalidasa
 The greatest of Indian poets.The greatest of Indian poets.
 His most famous play was His most famous play was ShakuntalaShakuntala..
 During the reign of During the reign of VikramadittyaVikramadittya. .

11. GuptaGupta
ArtArt
Greatly influenced Greatly influenced
Southeast Asian art & architecture.Southeast Asian art & architecture.

12. MedicineMedicineMedicineMedicine LiteratureLiteratureLiteratureLiterature
MathematicsMathematicsMathematicsMathematics
AstronomyAstronomyAstronomyAstronomy
PrintedPrinted
medicinal guidesmedicinal guides
1000 diseases1000 diseases
classifiedclassified
PlasticPlastic
SurgerySurgery
C-sectionsC-sections
performedperformed
InoculationsInoculations
500 healing500 healing
plants identifiedplants identified
DecimalDecimal
SystemSystem
ConceptConcept
of Zeroof Zero
PI = 3.1416PI = 3.1416
KalidasaKalidasa
SolarSolar
CalendarCalendar
The earthThe earth
is roundis round
GuptaGupta
IndiaIndia
Gupta Gupta
AchievementsAchievements

13. The Decline of the GuptasThe Decline of the Guptas
 Invasion of the White Huns in the 4c signaledInvasion of the White Huns in the 4c signaled
the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even though the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even though
at first, the Guptas defeated them. at first, the Guptas defeated them.
 After the decline of the Gupta empire, northAfter the decline of the Gupta empire, north
India broke into a number of separate Hindu India broke into a number of separate Hindu
kingdoms and was not really unified again until kingdoms and was not really unified again until
the coming of the Muslims in the 7c. the coming of the Muslims in the 7c.

14. Why Gupta Empire is considered as a
Golden age of India ?
Because –

 Westeren invaders were defeated – Shaka &
Hun
 Establishment of kingdom from east to west cost
of India
 Prosperity & wealth in society is due to the good
governance of Gupta kings
 Share of Indian trade in world was more than 20
%, now it is less than 0.1%
 Kalidas, Panini, Bhas, Varahamihir were the
leaders in various fields presented their classic
work to the world