1. Gupta Empire Golden Age of India

2. Gupta Empire: AD 320 – 500

3. Gupta Rulers  Chandra Gupta I  AD 320 – 340  First king of Gupta empire

4.  Samudragupta  AD 340 – 380  Expantion of kingdom takes place  Defeated shakes rulers  Chandra Gupta II (Vikramadittya)  AD 380 - 415  Profitable trade with the Mediterranean world!  Huns invade – defeated by gupta kings

5. Chandra Gupta 2 (Vikramadittya)

6. Chandragupta and Kumardevi are shown, Chandragupta is offering a ring (or putting Sindur) to his queen Kumardevi. Chandra in Brahmi script is written below left arm of King while Shri-Kumardevi is written near right hand of queen Reverse of coin shows goddess Laxmi, Appears on all coins minted by gupta kinga. Coins in Gupta empire Coine minted by Chandragupta :

7. Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta India  Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Silk Road and visited India in the 5c.  He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and charity.

8. International Trade Routes during the Guptas

9. Extensive Trade:4c Extensive Trade:4c spices spices gold & ivory rice & wheat horses cotton goods silks

10. KalidasaKalidasa  The greatest of Indian poets.  His most famous play was Shakuntala.  During the reign of Vikramadittya.

11. Gupta Art Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.

12. Medicine Literature Mathematics Astronomy Printed medicinal guides 1000 diseases classified Plastic Surgery C-sections performed Inoculations 500 healing plants identified Decimal System Concept of Zero PI = 3.1416 Kalidasa Solar Calendar The earth is round Gupta India Gupta Achievements

13. The Decline of the Guptas  Invasion of the White Huns in the 4c signaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even though at first, the Guptas defeated them.  After the decline of the Gupta empire, north India broke into a number of separate Hindu kingdoms and was not really unified again until the coming of the Muslims in the 7c.

14. Why Gupta Empire is considered as a Golden age of India ? Because –  Westeren invaders were defeated – Shaka & Hun  Establishment of kingdom from east to west cost of India  Prosperity & wealth in society is due to the good governance of Gupta kings  Share of Indian trade in world was more than 20 %, now it is less than 0.1%  Kalidas, Panini, Bhas, Varahamihir were the leaders in various fields presented their classic work to the world