Outline of ancient India
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to ancient India:
Ancient India is the Indian subcontinent from prehistoric times to the start of Medieval India, which is typically dated (when the term is still used) to the end of the Gupta Empire.[1]
General history of ancient India
Periodisation of Indian history
An elaborate periodisation may be as follows:
- Indian pre-history including Indus Valley Civilisation (until c. 1750 BCE);
- Iron Age including Vedic period (c. 1750-600 BCE);
- “Second Urbanisation” (c. 600-200 BCE);
- Classical period (c. 200 BCE-1200 CE);[note 1]
-
- Pre-Classical period (c. 200 BCE-320 CE);
- “Golden Age” (Gupta Empire) (c. 320-650 CE);
- Late-Classical period (c. 650-1200 CE);
- Medieval period (c. 1200-1500 CE);
- Early Modern (c. 1500-1850);
- Modern period (British Raj and independence) (from c. 1850).
Indian pre-history
- Neolithic Age India
- Bhirrana Culture (7570-6200 BCE)
- Mehrgarh culture (c. 7000 – 2500 BCE)
- Bronze Age India
- Indus valley civilization (c. 3300 – 1300 BCE)
- Ahar-Banas culture (c. 3000 – 1500 BCE)
Iron Age (c. 1200 – 272 BCE)
- Iron Age India (c. 1200 – 272 BCE)
- Vedic civilization (c. 1500 – 500 BCE)
- Black and red ware culture (c. 1300 – 1000 BCE) (c. 1200 – 600 BCE)
- Northern Black Polished Ware (c. 700 – 200 BCE)
- Indian Iron Age kingdoms (c. 700 – 300 BCE)
- Pandyan Kingdom (600 BCE – 1650 CE)
- Vedic civilization (c. 1500 – 500 BCE)
Second Urbanisation
- Nanda Empire (425–321 BCE)
- Maurya Empire (321–184 BCE)
- Sangam Period (c. 300 BCE – 300 CE)
- Pandyan Kingdom (c. 600 BCE – 1650 CE)
- Chera Kingdom (c. 300 BCE – 1102 CE)
- Chola Kingdom (c. 300 BCE – 1279 CE)
- Pallava Kingdom (250 BCE – 800 CE)
- Maha-Megha-Vahana Empire (250s BCE – 5th century CE)
- Satavahana Empire (230 BCE – 220 CE)
- Indo-Scythian Kingdom (200 BCE – 400 CE)
- Kuninda Kingdom (3rd century BCE – 4th century CE)
- Shunga Empire (185–73 BCE)
- Indo-Greek Kingdom (180 BCE – 10 CE)
- Kanva empire (75–26 BCE)
- Kushan Empire (30–375 CE)
Classical Age
- (Middle kingdoms of India)
- Gurjara-Pratihara Empire
- Vakataka Empire
- Chola Empire
- Pala Empire
- Gupta Empire (240–590 CE)
- Kadamba dynasty (345–1000 CE)
- Western Ganga dynasty(350-1000 CE)
Middle Ages (c. 500 – 1500)
- Badami Chalukyas (547–742)
- Rashtrakuta Empire (742–982)
- Eastern Chalukyas
- Western Chalukyas (983–1185)
- Chaulukya (c. 944 – 1244)
- Kalachuris of Kalyani
- Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri
- Hoysala Empire (1114–1342)
- Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1565)
Culture in ancient India
Art in ancient India
Language in ancient India
Religion in ancient India
Science and technology in ancient India
- Science and technology in ancient India
- Indian martial arts
- Ancient Indian medicine
- Architecture
- Indian in Sanskrit epics