The Gupta Empire existed at the same time as the Roman Empire. While we cannot say for sure, the two probably knew of each other. The Gupta Empire covered about two-thirds of modern India and parts of modern-day Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The Gupta Empire lasted from about 320 CE to about 500 CE. It dominated northern India.
Governing Techniques
Roads were very important during the Gupta Empire period as they are today. During the Gupta period, the village roads were built between houses and were often narrow as compared to the ones in cities. One of the important uses of the roads was to improve the trading activities on the Silk roads of the Gupta Empire.
The Gupta were also famous for minting gold coins. The Guptas minted beautiful gold dinars in unique and attractive style. They also minted silver coins derived from the coinage of the Western Satrapas and some unique bronze and lead coins. The beautiful coinage of the Guptas is among the most popular and collectible ancient Indian coins. After gaining power, Chandragupta II expanded the Gupta Empire through conquest and political marriages until the end of his reign in 413 CE. By 395 CE, his control over India extended coast-to-coast. Just like Ashoka, Chandragupta II made Pataliputra the capital of his empire and centralized the government there. He used tribute tax money from allies to fund government projects and salaries. |
The Gupta leaders allowed less powerful local leaders to rule small areas within the empire. They did not try to create a single government that took care of all the people in the empire. Later Indian rulers followed this model of government.
At the same time, the Gupta Empire provided each village with a military squad to protect them. The squads that were supported by the village were also part of the royal army. During war, the local squads all drew together to make up the royal army. A typical squad consisted of an elephant, a horse-drawn chariot, three cavalrymen, and five-foot soldiers. It doesn't sound like much when you look at one village at a time, but together, village squads formed a powerful army.
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Advancements
People were, for the most part, safe and prosperous during the Gupta period. It is called the "Golden Age" of ancient India because of that peace and prosperity. The empire provided simple health care for free. Writers, artists, and musicians were paid to produce their art. Most people were not educated, but the higher castes were, and the universities of Gupta were so famous that scholars from China came there to learn.
There were great advancements in science and math. Aryabhatta introduced the numeral system, which is used the world over even today. The decimal system, too, was an invention of this period. See the image to the left for other Gupta technological advancements.
There were significant discoveries and advancements in the field of medicine in this period. Several herbal remedies were discovered to treat a variety of illnesses. Even a primitive form of plastic surgery was developed for the treatment of injuries to the face.
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Hinduism and Buddhism
The people of the Gupta Empire had religious freedom. Hinduism began in India around 4,000 years ago. Hinduism spread and was clearly the preferred religion. Much of the art from the Gupta period was dedicated to Hindu gods. The cities were known for their temples. Travelers came to the Guptas’ lands to visit religious sites. The Gupta leaders were Hindu, but they tolerated other religions. Buddhism also began in India around 400 BCE. Many Buddhists and Jains lived under the Gupta rule. Sculptors made many images of the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.