The Age of the Imperial Guptas c4.83

c4.83

With the exception of the date in the Gaya copper plate inscription we do not know any other date of this great king. His reign appears to have been very long and very probably he ruled from *circa* 425 to 475 or 480 A.D. We know now that he was succeeded by his son Rāmagupta, though he had selected one of his younger sons, Candragupta as the heir apparent. Samudragupta was very fond of music as Hariṣeṇa has recorded in the Allahabad pillar inscription and as the great king himself has recorded for us in his unique Lyrist coins. We know from the inscriptions that Dattadevī was his queen, perhaps the chief queen (*Agra-Mahiṣī* or *Paṭṭa-Mahādevī*). Like his successors he was also fond of hunting and has commemorated his fondness for tiger huntings in a series of coins. He had not reached regions where the Indian lion was still extant like his second son and grandson.