Sangam Age and Satavahana Deccan

Chola, Pandya and Chera capitals, the Roman-trade ports, Sangam-age digs and the Satavahana Deccan, with UPSC years.

On this map (18)

Chola — Uraiyur (Tiruchirappalli) · Tamil Nadu — Sangam capital · Cholas. Symbol: the tiger; the Cholas held the Kaveri delta
Pandya — Madurai · Tamil Nadu — Sangam capital · Pandyas. Symbol: the fish; the Pandyas held the southern tip
Chera — Vanji (Karur) · Tamil Nadu — Sangam capital · Cheras. Symbol: the bow; the Cheras held the Malabar coast (modern Kerala)
Puhar (Kaveripattinam) — Chola port · Tamil Nadu — Port · Kaveri delta. Also called Kaveripattinam; centre of the Silappadikaram story
Korkai — Pandya port, Tamiraparani · Tamil Nadu — Port · pearl fishery. On the Tamiraparani near Thoothukudi
Muziris (Pattanam / Kodungallur) — Kerala · Kerala — Port · Roman trade. Roman coins and amphorae; the Peutinger Table shows a “Temple of Augustus” here
Tondi (Tyndis) — Chera port, Malabar coast · Kerala — Port · site debated. Exact site debated: Kadalundi–Beypore, Tanur, Ponnani or Koyilandy
Arikamedu (Poduke) — Puducherry · Puducherry — Roman trading post. The “Periplus” calls it Poduke; Roman amphorae, glass and Arretine ware found
Sopara (Surparaka) — Palghar · Maharashtra — West-coast port. Ashokan edict fragments were found here too
Broach (Barygaza) — Bharuch · Gujarat — Port · greatest west-coast port. Barygaza in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea; on the Narmada mouth
Adichanallur — Thoothukudi · Tamil Nadu — Megalithic urn burials. Iron tools, gold diadems, bronze — urn burial on the Tamiraparani
Keezhadi — Sivaganga · Tamil Nadu — Sangam-age urban site. Brick structures, Tamil-Brahmi potsherds and beads found (2015 onwards)
Kodumanal — Erode · Tamil Nadu — Beads and iron working. Semi-precious beryl and carnelian beads for the Roman market
Pratishthana (Paithan) — Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar · Maharashtra — Satavahana capital. The Satavahanas were also called Andhras; language Prakrit in Brahmi script
Nashik — Pandavleni caves · Maharashtra — Satavahana cave inscriptions. Records his victory over the Shakas, Yavanas and Pahlavas
Junnar — Pune · Maharashtra — Satavahana rock-cut caves. Manmodi and Lenyadri caves; Junnar was an early Satavahana capital
Amaravati (Dhanyakataka) — Guntur · Andhra Pradesh — Later Satavahana capital. Also called Dharanikota / Dhanyakataka
Nagarjunakonda — Krishna valley · Andhra Pradesh — Ikshvaku capital (after the Satavahanas). Vijayapuri, the Ikshvaku capital; Buddhist and Brahmanical remains

Asked in exams

UPSC 2023Poompuhar = port (with Korkai and Muchiri)
UPSC 2023Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri = ports (not capitals or iron centres)
UPSC 2023Muchiri (Muziris) = port (with Korkai and Poompuhar)

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