Nanda Empire: Map & History
The Nanda Empire was a vast empire that governed in Magadha and Gangetic plains with an enormous geographical reach in 4th-century BCE northeastern India, with some accounts suggesting existence as far back as the 5th century BCE.
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The Nanda Empire was a vast empire that governed in Magadha and Gangetic plains with an enormous geographical reach in 4th-century BCE northeastern India, with some accounts suggesting existence as far back as the 5th century BCE. The Nandas built on the successes of their Haryanka and Shaishunaga predecessors and installed a more centralised administration. Ancient sources credit them with amassing great wealth, which was probably the result of the introduction of a new currency and taxation system.
Modern Countries Once Part of Nanda Empire
At its mapped extent, Nanda Empire covered territory in 4 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Bangladesh333–319 BCE · most
- India333–319 BCE · a large part
- Pakistan333–324 BCE · a small part
- Nepal333–319 BCE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Nanda Empire's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Nanda Empire in Depth
Origins
The Nanda Empire became a significant ruling authority in Magadha, prior to the creation of the Maurya Empire who established a large empire in the Ganga valley. In the Buddhist accounts, the Nandas ascended the throne by open conquest in the field and not through secret intrigues or assassinations.
Greek authors refer to a great kingdom to the east of the kingdom of King Porus, beyond the Jhelum River. The kingdom is referred to as belonging to the Gangaridae and Prasioi, and the capital at Palibothra, which is generally accepted as referring to Pataliputra. Prasioi is derived from the Sanskrit term Prachya, meaning "eastern", and Gangaridae is traced to the Gangetic Plain.
Military strength
Alexander the Great invaded northwestern India at the time of Agrammes or Xandrames, whom modern historians generally identify as the last Nanda king – Dhana Nanda. In the summer of 326 BCE, Alexander's army reached the Beas River (Greek: Hyphasis), beyond which the Nanda territory was located.
The Greek sources suggest that the Nanda army was five times the size of the Macedonian army. According to Curtius, Alexander learned that Agrammes had 200,000 infantry; 20,000 cavalry; 3,000 elephants; and 2,000 four-horse chariots. Diodorus gives the number of elephants as 4,000. Plutarch inflates these numbers significantly, except the infantry: according to him, the Nanda force included 200,000 infantry; 80,000 cavalry; 6,000 elephants; and 8,000 chariots.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Nanda Empire (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Nanda Empire: Key Facts
| Capital | Pataliputra |
|---|---|
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Founded | 345 BCE |
| Dissolved | 321 BCE |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q949268 (CC0).
Nanda Empire Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Nanda Empire appears, with the other states of the time.
Nanda Empire Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 1,558,417 km² in 330 BCE.
Nanda Empire: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Nanda Empire exist?
The Nanda Empire is dated to 333 BCE – 319 BCE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of the Nanda Empire?
The capital of the Nanda Empire was Pataliputra.
How large was the Nanda Empire at its peak?
At its peak in 330 BC the Nanda Empire covered about 1,558,417 km².