Satavahanas

Variously known as the Andhras, Andhrabhrityas, Satakarnis and Satavahanas, this dynasty ruled large portions of Central and South India spanning modern day Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. The Satavahanas started out as feudatories to the Mauryan Empire, and declared independence soon after the death of Ashoka (232 BCE). They were the first native Indian rulers to issue their own coins with portraits of their rulers, starting with king Gautamiputra Satakarni, a habit borrowed from the Indo-Greek kings to the northwest. The Satavahana kings are also remarkable for their contributions to Buddhist art and architecture. The great stupas in the Krishna River Valley were built by them, including the stupas at Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh. A great Buddhist university flourished at Nagarjunakonda where Acharya Nagarjuna taught. The Satavahana Empire used Prakrit as their official language. The empire started to decline by the 3rd century CE and was supplanted by a number of dynasties including the Chutus, Ikshvakus and Pallavas in South India and Kadambas in Karnataka.