Ancient History
Syllabus
Table of Contents
Must-Know Ancient History Topics & Terms for UPSC Prelims 2025
In this we have provide a timeline of Ancient History & Importance topic of Ancient History that must know.
Stone Age (5lakh BCE – 10000 BCE)
Paleolithic Age
Mesolithic Age
Neolithic Age
The importance of various sites of Stone age. also locate various sites
Chalcolithic Age
Harappa Civilization (2600 BCE-1700BCE)
| Site | Location (Modern) | River | Key Facts |
| Harappa | Punjab, Pakistan | Ravi | Granaries (6 in two rows), Coffin burial, Mother Goddess figurines, Red sandstone male torso. |
| Mohenjo-Daro | Sindh, Pakistan | Indus | The Great Bath, Great Granary, Bronze Dancing Girl, Pashupati Seal, Bearded Man (Steatite). |
| Lothal | Gujarat, India | Bhogava | Artificial Dockyard (World’s first), Bead factory, Rice husk, Fire altars, Chess-like game, Double burial. |
| Dholavira | Kutch, Gujarat | Luni | Three-part city division, Unique water harnessing system (Dams/Reservoirs), 10-sign script signboard. |
| Kalibangan | Rajasthan, India | Ghaggar | Earliest ploughed field, Fire altars, Camel bones, Wooden drainage, Evidence of an earthquake. |
| Chanhudaro | Sindh, Pakistan | Indus | Only city without a citadel, Bead-making factory, Lipstick evidence, Inkpot, Dog chasing a cat footprint. |
| Banawali | Haryana, India | Saraswati* | High-quality Barley, Toy plough (terracotta), Radial streets, Lack of systematic drainage. |
| Rakhigarhi | Haryana, India | Ghaggar | Largest Harappan site (recently surpassed Mohenjo-Daro in size), DNA study on human skeletons. |
| Surkotada | Gujarat, India | – | Remains of Horse bones (controversial but frequently asked), Stone-covered graves. |
| Ropar | Punjab, India | Sutlej | First site excavated after Independence, Dog buried with human in an oval pit. |
Vedic Period (1500 BCE-1000BCE)
Later Vedic Period (1000 BCE-700BCE)
Mahajanpadas (6th century BCE)
Mahajanpadas (6th century BCE) Brahminism ,Age of religious movements
| S.No | Mahajanapada | Capital(s) | Modern Location | Features |
| 1 | Magadha | Girivraja / Rajgir | Patna & Gaya (Bihar) | Most powerful; home to Haryanka, Shishunaga dynasties. |
| 2 | Anga | Champa | Munger & Bhagalpur (Bihar) | Major center for trade and commerce. |
| 3 | Vajji | Vaishali | Vaishali (Bihar) | A confederacy of 8 clans (Gana-Sangha). |
| 4 | Kasi | Varanasi | Varanasi (UP) | Famous for cotton textiles and Vedic learning. |
| 5 | Kosala | Shravasti / Ayodhya | Eastern UP (Oudh) | Included the tribal republican territory of the Sakyas. |
| 6 | Vatsa | Kausambi | Allahabad/Prayagraj (UP) | Famous for its fine cotton clothes. |
| 7 | Malla | Kusinara / Pava | Deoria & U.P. | Where Gautama Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana. |
| 8 | Kuru | Indraprastha | Meerut & SE Haryana | Transitioned from a monarchy to a republic. |
| 9 | Panchala | Ahichchatra / Kampilya | Bareilly & Rohilkhand (UP) | Associated with the Later Vedic period. |
| 10 | Surasena | Mathura | Mathura (Western UP) | Center for the Krishna cult. |
| 11 | Matsya | Viratanagara | Jaipur (Rajasthan) | Located in the Alwar-Bharatpur-Jaipur region. |
| 12 | Chedi | Shuktimati | Bundelkhand region | Mentioned in the Mahabharata. |
| 13 | Avanti | Ujjaini / Mahishmati | Malwa (MP) | Significant for the rise of Buddhism and iron mining. |
| 14 | Asmaka | Potana / Potali | Banks of Godavari | The only Mahajanapada south of the Vindhyas. |
| 15 | Kamboja | Rajpur | Hindukush (Hazara dist.) | Famous for a superior breed of horses. |
| 16 | Gandhara | Taxila | Peshawar & Rawalpindi | International center for education and trade. |
Buddhism, Jainism
Magadha & various dynasty- Haryanka Dynasty, Nanda Dynasty
Mauryan Dynasty (324BCE – 178BCE)
| Ruler | Reign | Key Facts | Religious |
| Chandragupta Maurya | 322 – 297 | Founded the empire by defeating Dhana Nanda. Defeated Seleucus Nicator and gained Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat. Established the first centralized administration with Chanakya. | Jainism (Followed Bhadrabahu to Shravanabelagola). |
| Bindusara | 297 – 273 | Known as Amitraghata (Slayer of foes). Expanded the empire into the Deccan (up to Karnataka). Maintained diplomatic ties with the Greeks (Antiochus I of Syria). | Ajivika sect. |
| Ashoka the Great | 268 – 232 | Fought the Kalinga War (261 BCE), which led to his conversion. Famous for his Edicts (Rock and Pillar). Replaced Bherighosha Dhammaghosha (conquest by piety). | Buddhism (Propagated Dhamma). |
Shunga Dynasty
Age of foreign invasion
Indo Greeks(2nd – 1st)
Parthians
Sakas
Kushans (1st 3rd CE)
Sangam Age (300BCE – 300CE) IN SOUTH INDIA
Vaka takas (Vindhyashakti) Nagara
Kharvela in kalinga
Satavahana Dynasty
Gupta Empire(319-480 CE)
Chandragupta I(319-334)
Samudragupta(335-380)
Chandragupta II(380-412)
Kumargupta
Skandhagupta
Pushyabhutis/ Vardhana Dynasty
Prabhakaravardhana (580-605)
Rajyavardhana
Grihavarman *Rajashri(Devagupta+shashank
Harshavardhan (606 CE – 647)
Tripartite struggle 7th- 9th CE
Kannoj
Pala(750-1150) Dharmapala ,Devapala,Gopala,
Gurjara Prahihars(730-1036) Nagbhatta, Mihir Bhoja
Rashtrakutas(757-973) Dantidurga , Govinda III , Amoghvarsha I
Krishna III
Pallavas (3rd – 9 CE)
Mahendravarman I
Marasimhavarman
Imperial Cholas(850-1279)
Vijayalaya
Parakanta (907-953)
Rajaraja I (985-1014)
Rajendra I (1012-1044)