Chronology
BC
c. 6000 Neolithic settlements in Baluchistan
4th millennium Settlements in the Indus valley
2800–2600 Beginning of Indus civilisation
2600–1700 Civilisation of the great cities in the Indus valley (Mohenjo
Daro, Harappa), in the Panjab (Kalibangan) and Gujarat
(Lothal)
2nd millennium Immigration of the Indo-Aryans
c. 1400–900 Early Vedic period (Rigveda); settlement of the Aryans in the
Panjab and the western Ganga-Yamuna Doab
c. 1000 Iron in India
900–500 Late Vedic period (Brahmanas); settlement of the Aryans in the
central and eastern Gangetic plain; emergence of the early
Mahajanapadas
800–400 Painted grey ware in the area of Vedic settlement
500 onwards Early urbanisation in the eastern Gangetic valley (Kausambi
probably earlier)
c. 518 Gandhara and Sind satrapies of the Persian empire
c. 500 Magadha emerges as supreme power of the East
c. 5th century The Buddha teaches in North India
c. 364 Nanda dynasty under Mahapadma
327–325 Alexander in northwest India
c. 320 Chandragupta establishes the Maurya dynasty
268–233 Emperor Ashoka
261 Ashoka’s conquest of Kalinga and his conversion to Buddhism
256 Buddhist missions in South Asia and the Hellenistic world
c. 248 Independence of the Greeks in Bactria
c. 185 Pushyamitra kills the last Maurya and establishes the Sunga
dynasty (till 73 BC)
c. 175 Foundation of the Indo-Greek empire
c. 155–130 Menander, most important king of the Indo-Greeks
(‘Milindapanho’)
after 141 Shakas conquer Bactria
c. 94 Maues, Shaka king in northwest India
58 Azes I: beginning of Vikrama era
1st century Emergence of the Shatavahanas in Central India and King
Kharavela in Eastern India (Kalinga)