Question

Provide an account of trade and commerce during the post-Mauryan period in South India.

Answer 1

1. Satavahanas also referred to as the Andhras were an ancient dynasty based in the Deccan region.
2. They flourished in South India for about 450 years
3. They participated in economic expansion through the intensification of agriculture and trade within and beyond the Indian subcontinent.
4. The exploitation of sites with mineral resources facilitated commerce and crafts (such as ceramic ware).
5. The increased craft production is evident from archaeological discoveries at sites such as Kotalingala as well as epigraphic references to artisans and guilds.
6. They controlled the Indian sea coast and as a result, they dominated the growing Indian trade with the Roman Empire.
7. The Periplus of the Erythrean sea mentions two important Satavahana trade centers Prathishthana and Tagara.
8. Other important urban centers included Kondapur, Banavasi, and Madhavpur.
9. Nanaghat was the site of an important pass that linked the Satavahana capital Pratishthana to the sea.