The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v1.c7.s7.49

v1.c7.s7.49

The *Periplus of the Erythraen Sea*, Roman coins discovered in the Indian Peninsula, Ptolemy’s *Guide to Geography*, and the local epigraphic and numismatic records all throw considerable light on the commercial activities of the period in the Deccan. The *Periplus* shows that the western and the eastern parts of the Sātavāhana dominions were mostly well-peopled and prosperous; the ‘inland country’ was in a comparatively wild state as yet, being full of desert regions, great mountains, and all kinds of wild beasts, leopards, tigers, elephants, enormous serpents, hyenas, and baboons of many sorts.³ Yet along the western borderland of the Deccan plateau there were a number of market towns like Paiṭhan, Tagara,⁴ Junnār, Nāsik, Vaijayanti, &c. According to the *Periplus*, to Barygaza (the modern Broach) were brought ‘by waggons and through great tracts without roads, from Paethana carnelian in great quantities, and from Tagara much common cloth, all kinds of muslins and mallow cloth, and other merchandise brought there locally from the regions along the sea-coast’.⁵ South of Barygaza were the Sātavāhana ports of Sopārā and Kalyāṇa. In the east the Amarāvatī inscriptions refer to Kevura, Vijayapura, and Kudura as being places where merchants resided.⁶ Ptolemy notices the seaports of Kontakossyla, Koddoira (the modern Gudur), and Allosygne in the Maisolia region,⁷ which according to the *Periplus* ‘stretched a great way along the coast in front of the inland country’. In spite of the wild conditions prevailing in some parts of the central Deccan, there was a busy traffic between the eastern and western wings of the Sātavāhana empire. Dr. J. F. Fleet says: ‘A study of the maps has shown me the former existence of an early trading route, of which well marked traces still remain from the east coast through Golconda or Hyderabad, Ter and Paiṭhan to Broach.’⁸ The caravan and the river-boat were the chief means of transport. That intercourse between different towns of the Deccan existed is proved by the benefactions of the natives of Daśapura at Nāsik, of Vaijayanti, Dhenukakata and Sopārā at Kārle, of Bharukacha and Kalyāṇa at Junnār, and of Sopārā at Nāṇāghāṭ.⁹ Ushabhadāta, the son-in-law of Nahapāna, paid special attention to the comfort of travellers. Rest-houses, wells, drinking and bathing places and free ferries were only a few of the amenities provided by him on some of the most frequented routes.