Ancient History of India: Up to 10th Century A.D. (Hardbound - 2013)

Ancient history of India is hugely magnificent, affluent and diverse. It begins with Stone Age, which is a broad prehistoric time with no clear geographical demarcation. The Mesolithic Period saw the permanent settlements in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka in what today constitutes the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Ancient India was the meeting ground of the East and the West and subject to innumerable invasions from various parts of the world. The Greeks, Persians, Chinese, Arabs, Portuguese, British and other invaders had their way with the land, yet the local Hindu kingdoms invariably survived their ravage, and managed to live out their own sagas of conquest and collapse.

The Aryans migrated into the Indian subcontinent from the North-west and settled in the Saptasindhu region while adapting to the prevailing Indian culture. It was around 2nd century B.C., and in the ancient history of India, it is known as the Vedic Civilization. It was followed by the rise of kingdoms known as Mahajanapadas and their Mauryan empire, the Sunga, Kanva and Andhara dynasties, then those of the Guptas and their successors, the most important of whom was Harsha Vardhana.

India, from time immemorial has been the centre of world activities. Its civilization is among the oldest of civilizations along with Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. However, the sources are too slight to accurately reconstruct the ancient Indian history. Different writers and scholars—both Indian and foreign—have expressed different views about various aspects of ancient history of India. Therefore, it becomes difficult for a learner to come to definite conclusions. The aim of this book is to present clear views on all the pertinent areas of the subject. This has been done by explaining the historical facts about ancient Indian history upto 10th century A.D., and synthesizing the views of well-established historians worldwide.

The book covers the syllabi of B.A. (Hons) and B.A. (Prog) in History prescribed by Delhi University and will be helpful to the students pursuing these courses. As the syllabus for graduation is more or less the same in every university, the book will cater to the needs of students of History all over India. Besides, it will benefit those preparing for various competitive examinations with History as a subject.

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