The Vakataka–Gupta Age (circa 200–550 A.D.) c3.2

c3.2

A few words are necessary to explain the scope and nature of the history narrated in the following pages. This volume covers the period *c.* 200 to 550 A.D. and is called the Gupta-Vākāṭaka age. The title of the volume was selected for the sake of convenience only. It is not claimed that the political or cultural achievements of the Vākāṭakas were comparable to those of the Guptas and sufficiently important to justify their association with the name of the age. Although this volume is intended to cover the period from *c.* 200 to 550 A.D., it has not always been possible to conform to these chronological limits. The history of the Western Kshatrapas commences with *c.* 160 A.D., as the death of Rudradāman I is a convenient starting point. The history of Ceylon begins with 66 A.D., as the dynasty that was founded at that time continued to rule practically to the end of our period. The history of the Maghas of Kauśāmbī is taken back to *c.* 150 A.D. when their house started its career, as it was found more convenient to deal with the whole history of the dynasty in one place. The careers of the Vishṇukuṇḍins and the Maitrakas began at about 500 A.D., and several independent kingdoms, notably those of Nepal and Assam, arose about the same time. Their early history is not discussed in this volume but reserved for full treatment in the next one dealing with the period when they played an effective part in Indian history. In the case of the Maukharis and Later Guptas, however, their early history to the end of our period is dealt with, as it was necessary to discuss it in connection with the decline of the Gupta empire. It has been recently suggested (*IHQ.* XXI, 19) that the kings of Assam were mainly instrumental in bringing about the downfall of the Guptas, but hardly any convincing evidence has been adduced to support so novel a hypothesis.