The Nanda Empire

[Cobra Arbok]

Hello everyone, today I am doing something slightly different. Rather than making a thread about the history of a specific region, I am going to make a thread about the history of the Nanda Empire
.
The Nanda empire was as empire that arose in the Gangetic plains during the 4th century bc in Magadh right after the fall of the Sishunaga dynasty. A direct predecessor to the Mauryan empire, the Nanda Empire was the first major power in Northern India and rose to prominence during a period of renaissance of urbanization along the Gangetic Plain. As the largest city in the region at the time, Magadh soon became one of the most powerful cities in South Asia and arguably, Asia as a whole.

The Nanda Empire was founded by Mahapadma Nanda,also known as Ugrasena around 364 bc. Supposedly of Shudra background, he usurped the rulers of other kingdoms such as the Kashis, Panchalas, and Kalingas. At its height, the Nanda empire stretched from Bihar to the Punjab as far south as Kalinga and the Vindhya mountains. The Hathigumpha inscription in Odisha mentions a king named Nanda conquering portions of Kalinga and building canals and other projects. The Nanda's were well known for their wealth they mainly obtained from control over northenr and Central india's iron ore reserves. Patiliputra, which became the capital under the Nandas, soon became one of the most prosperous cities in India. The development begun under the Nandas provided a solid foundation for their successors, the Mauryans.


Coins of King Mahapadma Nanda dating back to 345 bc.

The full extent of the Nanda empire

Map of Eurasia in 323 BC, around the same time Alexander began expanding into South Asia.

In addition to its wealth and prosperity, the Nanda empire was also famous for its military prowess, with armed forces that consisted of 200,000 infantry, 20000 cavalry, 2000 chariots, and 3000 elephants, with estimates by the Greek historian Plutarch being even higher. The Nandas were able to conquer larege amounts of South Asia that was unprecedented for any South Asian empire and kingdom at the time. They were also successful at repelling inaders. After defeating King Porus of Punjab(Pakistan) in a bloody battle, Alexander was determined to continue his conquests into the fertile, resource rich plains of the Ganges. However, his soldiers had heard about the mighty forces of the Nandas along the Gangetic plains, with their mighty infantry, cavalry, and elephant force. Considering that Alesander's forces had struggled with Porus's elephants, it would have been unlikely that King Alexander would have been able to conquer the Ganges region considering elephants are native to that region. Hence, it can be said that the Nandas successfully repelled alexander's empire, which was at that time one of the strongest empires in the world. Although it is debatable as to the outcome had Alexander attempted to subdue the Nanda's, his successor Seleucus Nikator attempted to the same with the Mauryan Empire but was defeated.

Despite the Nanda Empire's success, they became resented in many parts of the subcontinent due to their heavy taxation and more restrictive rule. Around 320 BC, the Nandas were overthrown in an uprising led by a man named Chandragupta Maurya and his mentor, Chanakya.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Empire
https://books.google.com/books?id=P...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

@Indus Pakistan @Taimur Khurram @Talwar e Pakistan @niaz @MilSpec @scorpionx @SpArK @Joe Shearer @KAL-EL @Indos @vostok @Dubious @Irfan Baloch @waz @war&peace @Whirling_dervesh @VCheng @M.SAAD @Peshwa @AyanRay @firestorm7777 @Śakra @OsmanAli98 @SabzShaheen @jaiind @Mustang06 @Mugwop @Mugen @Bhoot Pishach @Soumitra @suresh1773 @Darwin @Novice09 @Sheena1980 @Chhatrapati @Rollno21 @Desert Fox @Jackdaws @jamahir @Nilgiri @padamchen @Tshering22 @GHALIB

 

[Joe Shearer]

Hello everyone, today I am doing something slightly different. Rather than making a thread about the history of a specific region, I am going to make a thread about the history of the Nanda Empire
.
The Nanda empire was as empire that arose in the Gangetic plains during the 4th century bc in Magadh right after the fall of the Sishunaga dynasty. A direct predecessor to the Mauryan empire, the Nanda Empire was the first major power in Northern India and rose to prominence during a period of renaissance of urbanization along the Gangetic Plain. As the largest city in the region at the time, Magadh soon became one of the most powerful cities in South Asia and arguably, Asia as a whole.

The Nanda Empire was founded by Mahapadma Nanda,also known as Ugrasena around 364 bc. Supposedly of Shudra background, he usurped the rulers of other kingdoms such as the Kashis, Panchalas, and Kalingas. At its height, the Nanda empire stretched from Bihar to the Punjab as far south as Kalinga and the Vindhya mountains. The Hathigumpha inscription in Odisha mentions a king named Nanda conquering portions of Kalinga and building canals and other projects. The Nanda's were well known for their wealth they mainly obtained from control over northenr and Central india's iron ore reserves. Patiliputra, which became the capital under the Nandas, soon became one of the most prosperous cities in India. The development begun under the Nandas provided a solid foundation for their successors, the Mauryans.


Coins of King Mahapadma Nanda dating back to 345 bc.

The full extent of the Nanda empire

Map of Eurasia in 323 BC, around the same time Alexander began expanding into South Asia.

In addition to its wealth and prosperity, the Nanda empire was also famous for its military prowess, with armed forces that consisted of 200,000 infantry, 20000 cavalry, 2000 chariots, and 3000 elephants, with estimates by the Greek historian Plutarch being even higher. The Nandas were able to conquer larege amounts of South Asia that was unprecedented for any South Asian empire and kingdom at the time. They were also successful at repelling inaders. After defeating King Porus of Punjab(Pakistan) in a bloody battle, Alexander was determined to continue his conquests into the fertile, resource rich plains of the Ganges. However, his soldiers had heard about the mighty forces of the Nandas along the Gangetic plains, with their mighty infantry, cavalry, and elephant force. Considering that Alesander's forces had struggled with Porus's elephants, it would have been unlikely that King Alexander would have been able to conquer the Ganges region considering elephants are native to that region. Hence, it can be said that the Nandas successfully repelled alexander's empire, which was at that time one of the strongest empires in the world. Although it is debatable as to the outcome had Alexander attempted to subdue the Nanda's, his successor Seleucus Nikator attempted to the same with the Mauryan Empire but was defeated.

Despite the Nanda Empire's success, they became resented in many parts of the subcontinent due to their heavy taxation and more restrictive rule. Around 320 BC, the Nandas were overthrown in an uprising led by a man named Chandragupta Maurya and his mentor, Chanakya.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Empire
https://books.google.com/books?id=P...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

@Indus Pakistan @Taimur Khurram @Talwar e Pakistan @niaz @MilSpec @scorpionx @SpArK @Joe Shearer @KAL-EL @Indos @vostok @Dubious @Irfan Baloch @waz @war&peace @Whirling_dervesh @VCheng @M.SAAD @Peshwa @AyanRay @firestorm7777 @Śakra @OsmanAli98 @SabzShaheen @jaiind @Mustang06 @Mugwop @Mugen @Bhoot Pishach @Soumitra @suresh1773 @Darwin @Novice09 @Sheena1980 @Chhatrapati @Rollno21 @Desert Fox @Jackdaws @jamahir @Nilgiri @padamchen @Tshering22 @GHALIB

Quite clearly, the Alexandrine army funked the test and forced its king to retreat, down the Indus valley to the coast, then along the coast to Babylon.

So far, so good.

We next have the information about the clashes between the army of the successor to the Nandas, Chandragupta Maurya, and one of Alexander's successors, Seleukos Nikator; while no details are available we do know that a royal marriage took place, and that Seleukos got 500 war elephants. These elephants fought in the battle of Ipsus two years later, in 301 BC, the deciding battle of the wars of succession, and again another 20 years later.

I personally have no credence in the ridiculous urban legend of the Hindutva-vadis about the weakening of the soldierly qualities of Indian armies thanks to the introduction of Buddhism by Ashoka. However, it is a fact that soon afterwards, the Bactrian Greeks started their series of attacks on north India that resulted in their domain extending up to Mathura. They are indirectly referred to in Indian accounts; a grammar gives an example of a part of speech by referring to the 'viciously valiant barbarians', the Bactrian Greeks.

So, within a few decades, the Indian military strength that in the telling of it had scared off Alexander's army was defeated repeatedly by the Bactrian Greeks.