Pandyan Empire

Pandyan Empire
பாண்டியப் பேரரசு
6th century BCE–16th century
Extent of the Pandya Territories c. 1250 CE
Capital		Korkai Madurai (3rd century BCE - 1345 CE) Tenkasi (1345 - 1630 CE), Tirunelveli (1345 - 1650 CE)
Languages		Tamil
Religion		Jainism, Buddhism Shaivism
Government		Monarchy
King
•	560–590 CE	Kadungon
•	1309–1345 CE	Vira Pandyan IV
•	1422-1463 CE	Jatavarman Parakrama Pandyan
Historical era		Iron Age
•	Established	6th century BCE
•	Early Pandyan Kingdom
•	Disestablished	16th century
Succeeded by Madurai Sultanate Madurai Nayak dynasty Jaffna kingdom Sambuvaraya
Today part of		India  Sri Lanka

The Pandyan or Pandiyan or Pandian dynasty was an ancient Tamil dynasty, one of the three Tamil dynasties, the other two being the Chola and the Chera. The Pandya King, along with Chera King and Chola King, were referred to as the Three Crowned Kings of Tamilakam.

The dynasty ruled parts of South India from around 600 BCE (Early Pandyan Kingdom) to first half of 17th century CE. They initially ruled their country Pandya Nadu from Korkai, a seaport on the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, and in later times moved to Madurai. Fish being their flag, Pandyas were experts in water management, agriculture(mostly near river banks) and fisheries and they were eminent sailors and sea traders too. Pandyan was well known since ancient times, with contacts, even diplomatic, reaching the Roman Empire. The Pandyan empire was home to temples including Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, and Nellaiappar Temple built on the bank of the river Thamirabarani in Tirunelveli. The Pandya kings were called either Jatavarman or Maravarman Pandyan. From being Jains in their early ages, they became Shaivaites after some centuries of rule.Strabo states that an Indian king called Pandion sent Augustus Caesar "presents and gifts of honour". The country of the Pandyas, Pandi Mandala, was described as Pandyan Mediterranea in the Periplus and Modura Regia Pandyan by Ptolemy.