Nanda Dynasty

Nanda Empire
345 BCE–321 BCE
The Nanda dynasty at its greatest extent under Dhana Nanda c. 325 BCE.
Capital		Pataliputra
Languages		Old Indic Languages (e.g. Magadhi Prakrit, Other Prakrits) Sanskrit
Religion		Hinduism (Brahmanism) Buddhism Jainism
Government		Monarchy
King		Mahapadma Nanda
		Dhana Nanda
Historical era		Iron Age India
•	Established	345 BCE
•	Disestablished	321 BCE
Preceded by Succeeded by Shishunaga dynasty Mahajanapada Maurya Empire
Today part of		Bangladesh  India    Nepal

The Nanda dynasty originated from the region of Magadha in ancient India during the 4th century BCE and lasted between 345–321 BCE. At its greatest extent, the empire ruled by the Nanda Dynasty extended from Bengal in the east, to the Punjab region in the west and as far south as the Vindhya Range. The rulers of this dynasty were famed for the great wealth which they accumulated. The Nanda Empire was later conquered by Chandragupta Maurya, who founded the Maurya Empire.

Mahapadma Nanda, who has been described in the Puranas as "the destroyer of all the Kshatriyas", defeated many other kingdoms, including the Panchalas, Kasis, Haihayas, Kalingas,Asmakas, Kurus, Maithilas, Surasenas and the Vitihotras; to name a few. He expanded his territory south of the Vindhya Range into the Deccan Plateau. The Nandas, who usurped the throne of the Shishunaga dynasty c. 345 BCE, were thought to be of low origin. He was the son of Mahanandin, and a Shudra mother.

The Nanda kings built on the foundations laid by their Haryanka and Shishunaga predecessors to create the first great empire of north India. To achieve this objective they built a vast army, consisting of 200,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry, 2,000 war chariots and 3,000 war elephants (at the lowest estimates). According to the Greek historian Plutarch, the size of the Nanda army was even larger, numbering 200,000 infantry, 80,000 cavalry, 8,000 war chariots, and 6,000 war elephants. However, the Nandas never had the opportunity to see their army up against Alexander, who invaded North-western India at the time of Dhana Nanda, since Alexander was forced to confine his campaign to the plains of Punjab and Sindh, for his forces, mutinied at the river Beas and refused to go any further upon encountering "the 4000 well trained and well equipped war elephants of the Gangaridei (Nanda)" according to Diodorus.