Topics Covered:

Important Gupta Rulers

• Chandragupta I

• Samudragupta

• Chandragupta II

Sources of Information on the Empire

• Archaeological

• Written

• Visual

Concept of the Golden Age

• Political Aspect

• Economical Aspect

• Social Aspects

2] Sources of Information on the Gupta Empire

Archaeological

• There is evidence on Chandragupta II’s through coins

• Ruins of homes and palaces of ruling nobles

Written

•    Fa Hsien accounts which were made accidentally with the descriptions of religious things

•    Basic information on Samudragupta is derived from a record composed by the court poet

•    Inscribtions on an Asokan Pillar also provided information on Samudragupta

•    In the Allahabad Inscription, there is mention of the nine northern princes vanquished by Samudragupta

•    The play “Mricchakatika” or Toy Cart written by Sudraka gives a vivid description of life in the city of Ujjain at that time  

Visual

•    Little shrines at Sanchi and Bodhgaya, the stone temple in the Jhansi district and the brick temple at the Cawnpore district

•    The Ajanta caves which were hewn out of solid rock and fashioned into monastries are another example of the Gupta’s amazing architectural skills

•    The pillar at Delhi made of wrought iron provides information on their skills in metallurgy

•    The copper image of Buddha at Nalanda is also another example

By Tan Xin Quan and Teng Jian Xi