Ancient India Timeline Chronology: “The only inference that can be drawn from the anthropological and linguistic evidence… is that the Harappan population in the Indus Valley and Gujarat in 2000 BC was composed of two or more groups, the more dominant among them having very close ethnic affinities with the present day Indo-Aryan speaking population of India.
Ancient India Timeline Chronology
In other words, there is no racial evidence of any such Indo-Aryan invasion of India but only of a continuity of the same group of people who traditionally considered themselves to be Aryans”
(The Myth of the Aryan Invasion of India, by David Fawley).
3300 BC to 1700 BC was characterized by the Indus Valley civilization.
3300 BC – Origin of the Indus Valley civilization beginning with the Ravi phase.
From 3300 to 2600 was the early Harappan period. Mature Harappan Phase lasted from 2600BC to 1700 BC. Subsequently came the third phase, the late Harappan phase from 1700 BC to 1300 BC.
2800 BC – Kot Diji phase of the Indus Valley Civilization begins.
The Vedic period was from 1500 BC to 500 BC.
The early Vedic period lasted up to 100 BC. It was during this time that the Rig Veda was composed. Therefore, this period is also called the Rig Vedic period. During this period, the king was believed to be the protector of the people, who took an active part in the government. This was a period in Indian history where men and women were given equal status and equal participation. The sense of equity prevailed in society.
From 1000 to 500 was the later Vedic period:
600 BC – The formation of Sixteen Mahajanapadas (Great Kingdoms).
599 BC – The birth of Vardhamana Mahavira who founded Jainism.
563 BC – The birth of Gautama Budha who founded Buddhism.
527 BC – Mahavira dies.
483 BC – Gautama Buddha dies.
The Mauryan Empire was founded by Chandragupta Mauryan in Magadha in 321 BC.
In 305 BC, Chandragupta Maurya defeats selecus Nictator of the Seleucid empire.
273 BC – Ashoka the Great grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, ascends as emperor of the Mauryan Empire.
In 266 BC, unification of South Asia takes place under the statesmanship of Ashoka.
265 BC – was characterized by the Great Kalinga war. This war resulted in Emperor Ashoka converting his faith to Buddhism and taking upon himself the mission of nonviolence and peace.
232 BC – Ashoka dies and is succeeded by Kunala.
230 BC – Simuka declares independence from Mauryan rule and establishes the Satavahana Empire.
200 BC- the Kuninda Kingdom established.
200-100 BC – Tholkappiyam, the oldest existing Tamil grammar is written.
184 BC – The Mauryan Empire collapsed when emperor Brihadrata was assassinated by his general Pusyamitra Sunga. Pusyamitra Sunga established the Sunga dynasty.
68 – Establishment of the Kushan Empire by Kujula Kadphises.
240 -Gupta Empire begins. This Dynasty’s first emperor was Sri-Gupta. Its capital was at Pataliputra.
320 – Chandragupta I ascends to the Gupta throne.
335 – Samudragupta ascends the Gupta throne and expands the empire.
380 – Chandragupta II, Samudragupta’s son becomes the Gupta Emperor.
450 – Invasions by the Huna.
