This is a list of ancient

Indo-Aryan peoples Indo-Aryan peoples are a diverse collection of peoples predominantly found in South Asia, who (traditionally) speak Indo-Aryan languages. Historically, Aryans were the Indo-Iranian speaking pastoralists who migrated from Central Asia int ...

and tribes that are mentioned in the literature of

Indian religions Indian religions, sometimes also termed Dharmic religions or Indic religions, are the religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent. These religions, which include Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism,Adams, C. J."Classification o ...

. From the second or first millennium BCE, ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes turned into most of the population in the northern part of the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

– Indus Valley (roughly today's Pakistani Punjab and

Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...

Western India Western India is a loosely defined region of India consisting of western states of India, Republic of India. The Ministry of Home Affairs (India), Ministry of Home Affairs in its Western Zonal Council Administrative divisions of India, Adminis ...

Northern India North India is a geographical region, loosely defined as a cultural region comprising the northern part of India (or historically, the Indian subcontinent) wherein Indo-Aryans (speaking Indo-Aryan languages) form the prominent majority populati ...

Central India Central India refers to a geographical region of India that generally includes the states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. The Central Zonal Council, established by the Government of India, includes these states as well as Uttar Prades ...

, Eastern India and also in areas of the southern part like

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

and the

Maldives The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, abou ...

through and after a complex process of migration, assimilation of other peoples and language shift.

Ancestors

* Proto-Indo-Iranians (common ancestors of the

Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...

, Nuristani and Indo-Aryan peoples) ( Proto-Indo-Iranian speakers) ** Proto-Indo-Aryans ( Proto-Indo-Aryan speakers)

Vedic tribes

* Alina people (RV 7.18.7) * Anu (RV 1.108.8, RV 8.10.5) * Āyu * Bhageratha * Bhalanas * Bharatas- The Bharatas are a major Aryan clan, especially in Mandala 3 attributed to the Bharata sage Vishvamitra. The entire Bharata clan is described as crossing over, with their chariots and wagons, at the confluence of the Vipash ( Beas River) and Shutudri ( Satlej). The Bharatas are mentioned as the protagonists in the Battle of the Ten Kings in Mandala 7 (7.18 etc.), where they are on the winning side. They appear to have been successful in the early power-struggles between the various Aryan and non-Aryan clans so that they continue to dominate in post-Rigvedic texts, and later in the (Epic) tradition. "Bhārata" today is the official name of the Republic of India (see also

Etymology of India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area; the most populous country since 2023; and, since its independence in 1947, the world's most populous democracy. Bounded by ...

). * Chedi *

Dasa DASA (officially Deutsche AeroSpace AG, later Daimler-Benz AeroSpace AG, then DaimlerChrysler AeroSpace AG) was a German aerospace manufacturer. It was created during 1989 as the aerospace subsidiary arm of Daimler-Benz, Daimler-Benz AG (later D ...

* Dasyu * Dṛbhīka * Druhyus (Rigveda, RV 1.108.8, RV 8.10.5) *

Gandhara Gandhara () was an ancient Indo-Aryan people, Indo-Aryan civilization in present-day northwest Pakistan and northeast Afghanistan. The core of the region of Gandhara was the Peshawar valley, Peshawar (Pushkalawati) and Swat valleys extending ...

* Guṅgu * Ikshvaku dynasty * Krivi * Kīkaṭa * Kuru * Mahīna * Malankhara * Maujavant *

Matsya Matsya () is the fish avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. Often described as the first of Vishnu's Dashavatara, ten primary avatars, Matsya is described to have rescued the first man, Manu (Hinduism), Manu, from a great deluge. Matsya may be dep ...

* Nahuṣa * Pakhta * Panis * Pārāvata * Parsu (Parśu) * Puru (Pūru) * Ruśama (RV Mandala 8) * Sārasvata * Srñjaya * Tritsu (RV 7.18, 7.33, 7.83) * Yadu: Of Indo-Aryan origin,Yadu is one of the five early

Rigvedic tribes This is a list of ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes that are mentioned in the literature of Indian religions. From the second or first millennium BCE, Indo-Aryan migrations, ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes turned into most of the p ...

('' panchajana'', ''panchakrishtya'' or ''panchamanusha'') mentioned in the

Rigveda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' (, , from wikt:ऋच्, ऋच्, "praise" and wikt:वेद, वेद, "knowledge") is an ancient Indian Miscellany, collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canoni ...

. The Yadus had a tribal union with the Turvasha tribe, and were frequently described together. The Yadus were a Aryan tribe. By the time of the arrival of the Puru and Bharata tribes, the Yadu-Turvashas were settled in

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

, with the Yadus possibly residing along the

Yamuna River The Yamuna (; ) is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in List of major rivers of India, India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of B ...

.In Mandalas 4 and 5 of the Rigveda, the god

Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes Indra is the m ...

is stated to have saved the Yadu-Turvashas from drowning when they crossed rivers. In Mandala 6, the Yadu-Turvashas are stated to have been "brought from far away" by

. The Yadu-Turvashas are treated relatively positively in Mandalas 5, 6, and 8, and are stated to be the occasional allies and enemies of the Puru-Bharatas. In the Battle of the Ten Kings, the Yadus were defeated by Bharata chieftain Sudas.

Pancha Jana (Five tribes)

(पञ्च जना – '' Páñca Jánāḥ'' / '' Pancha-janah'') The pancha Jana are five tribes inexplicitly listed together during the ( Āryāvarta of this time, c. 1700–1500 BCE, roughly corresponds with the

and closer regions) (see the map of Early

Vedic Period The Vedic period, or the Vedic age (), is the period in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age of the history of India when the Vedic literature, including the Vedas (–900 BCE), was composed in the northern Indian subcontinent, between the e ...

) * Anu (in the southwest part of early Āryāvarta) * Druhyu (in the north part of early Āryāvarta) * Puru (ancestors of the Paurava) (in the centre and east parts of early Āryāvarta, including Sarasvati river region) * Turvaśa (Turvasha) (in the centre and south parts of early Āryāvarta): The Turvashas (, ) were one of the five major peoples (''panchajana'', ''panchakrishtya'' or ''panchamanusha'') mentioned in the

. The Turvashas had a tribal union with the Yadu tribe, and were frequently described together. The Turvashas were a partly Indo-Aryan-acculturated Indus tribe. By the time of the arrival of the Puru and Bharata tribes, the Yadu-Turvashas were settled in

. By the time of the Shatapatha Brahmana (7th-6th centuries BCE), the Turvashas are linked to the Panchalas. Alfred Ludvig first conjectured that Turvīti and Vayya could have been connected with the Turvasha tribe, a notion that is still considered only speculation according to Witzel. In Mandalas 4 and 5 of the Rigveda, the god

is stated to have saved the Yadu-Turvashas from drowning when they crossed rivers. In Mandala 6, the Yadu-Turvashas are stated to have been "brought from far away" by

. The Yadu-Turvashas are treated relatively positively in Mandalas 5, 6, and 8, and are stated to be the occasional allies and enemies of the Puru-Bharatas. * Yadu (in the southeast and south parts of early Āryāvarta)

Early Janapadas (c. 1700–1100 BCE)

After roughly 1700 BCE

and tribes were swiftly expanding through ancient northern

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, therefore the number of peoples, tribes and clans was increasing (as well as the number of Indo-Aryan language speakers) and Āryāvarta was becoming a very large area (see the map on the right side). *Aja – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Ambaśṭha – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Aṅga – Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta (Madhya-desha and Prachya Āryāvarta – Central and Eastern Āryāvarta in Vamana). *Anu – is a

Vedic Sanskrit Vedic Sanskrit, also simply referred as the Vedic language, is the most ancient known precursor to Sanskrit, a language in the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan subgroup of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family. It is atteste ...

term for one of the 5 major tribes in the

, RV 1.108.8, RV 8.10.5 (both times listed together with the Druhyu) and, much later also in the

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...

. In the late Vedic period, one of the Anu kings, King Anga, is mentioned as a " chakravartin" ( AB 8.22). ''Ānava'', the vrddhi derivation of ''Anu'', is the name of a ruler in the Rigvedic account of the Battle of the Ten Kings (7.18.13) and at 8.4.1 with the Turvaśa (tribe). The meaning ánu "living, human" (Naighantu) cannot be substantiated for the Rigveda and may have been derived from the tribal name. (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Āyu *Bhajeratha *Bhalana – The Bhalanas were one of the tribes that fought against Sudas in the Dasarajna battle. Some scholars have argued that the Bhalanas lived in South Central and Western

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

, and that the Bolan Pass, around which live the Brahui people, are the Bhalana people and abode. (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Bharadvāja – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Bhrigus *Bheda – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Bodha – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Druhyu – The Druhyu were a people of Vedic India. They are mentioned in the Rigveda, usually together with the Anu tribe. Some early scholars have placed them in the northwestern region. The later texts, the Epic and the Puranas, locate them in the "north", that is, in Gandhara, Aratta and Setu. (Vishnu Purana IV.17) The Druhyus were driven out of the land of the seven rivers, and their next king, Gandhara, settled in a north-western region which became known as Gandhāra. The sons of the later Druhyu king Pracetas too settle in the "northern" (udīcya) region (Bhagavata 9.23.15–16; Visnu 4.17.5; Vayu 99.11–12; Brahmanda 3.74.11–12 and Matsya 48.9.). The word Druid (Gallic Celtic druides), is partially derived from Proto-Indo-European ''vid'' "to see, to know' It has also been alleged that the Rg Veda and the Puranas describe this tribe as migrating North. However, there is nothing of this in the Rigveda and the Puranas merely mention that the Druhyu are "adjacent (āśrita) to the North". (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Gandharis (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) # # (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Kārūṣa (Karusha) – later Cedi (Chedi) (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Keśin (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Kīkaṭa (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Kosala (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Krivi (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Kunti (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Madra (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) **Uttara Madra (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Magadha (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Mahāvṛṣa (Mahavrisha) (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Mahīna *Malankhara *

(Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Mūjavana / Maujavant (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Nahuṣa *Pāñcala ( Panchala) (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Pārāvata (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Pṛthu ( Prithu) (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) * Pūru (Puru) (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) ** Bharatas – The Bharatas are an Aryan tribe mentioned in the

, especially in Mandala 3 attributed to the Bharata sage Vishvamitra and in and Mandala 7. ''Bharatá'' is also used as a name of

Agni Agni ( ) is the Deva (Hinduism), Hindu god of fire. As the Guardians of the directions#Aṣṭa-Dikpāla ("Guardians of Eight Directions"), guardian deity of the southeast direction, he is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu temples. ...

(literally, "to be maintained", viz. the fire having to be kept alive by the care of men), and as a name of Rudra in RV 2.36.8. In one of the " river hymns" RV 3.33, the entire Bharata tribe is described as crossing over, with their chariots and wagons, at the confluence of the Vipash (Beas) and Shutudri (Satlej). Hymns by Vasistha in Mandala 7 (7.18 etc.) mention the Bharatas as the protagonists in the Battle of the Ten Kings, where they are on the winning side. They appear to have been successful in the early power-struggles between the various Aryan and non-Aryan tribes so that they continue to dominate in post-Rigvedic texts, and later in the ( Epic) tradition, the Mahābhārata, the eponymous ancestor becomes Emperor Bharata, conqueror of 'all of India', and his tribe and kingdom is called Bhārata. "Bhārata" today is the official name of the Republic of India (see also

). (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *** Kuru – Ancestors of the Kaurava (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) **** Uttara Kuru (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *** Pandu – Ancestors of the

Pandava The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, aɳɖɐʋᵊ IAST: Pāṇḍava) is a group name referring to the five legendary brothers, Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, who are central figures of the Hindu epic ''Mahabhara ...

(Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) **Tṛtsu (Tritsu) The Tritsus are a sub-group of the Puru who are distinct from the Bharatas mentioned in Mandala 7 of the

(in hymns 18, 33 and 83). Under king Sudas they defeated the confederation of ten kings led by the Bharatas at the Battle of the Ten Kings. (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Ruśama (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Śālva (Shalva) (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Sārasvata – people that dwelt the banks of the Sarasvati river (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Satvanta (Dakshina Āryāvarta – Southern Āryāvarta) *Śigru (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Śiva (Shiva, not to be confused with the God Śiva or

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

) (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Srñjaya (Srinjaya) (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Śvikna (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Turvaśa (Turvasa) *Uśīnara (Ushinara) (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Vaikarṇa (Vaikarna) (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Vaṅga (Vanga) (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Varaśikha (Varashikha) (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Vaśa (Vasha) (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Vidarbha ( Vidarbha, Dakshina Āryāvarta – Southern Āryāvarta) * Videha (

Mithila Mithila may refer to: Places * Mithilā, a synonym for the ancient Videha state ** Mithilā (ancient city), the ancient capital city of Videha * Mithila (region), a cultural region (historical and contemporary), now divided between India and Nepa ...

, Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Viśaṇin (Vishanin) (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Vṛcivanta (Vrichivanta) (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Yadu (Dakshina Āryāvarta – Southern Āryāvarta) *Yakṣu (Yakshu) (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta)

Late Janapadas (c. 1100–500 BCE)

From roughly 1100 to 500 BCE

and tribes expanded even further throughout ancient northern

(see the map 6). *Abhīṣaha (Abhishaha) / Apanga (''

Vayu Vayu (; ), also known as Vata () and Pavana (), is the Hindu deities, Hindu god of the winds as well as the divine messenger of the gods. In the ''Vedic scriptures'', Vayu is an important deity and is closely associated with Indra, the king o ...

'') / Aupadha ('' Markandeya'') / Alasa ('' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Āhuka / Kuhaka ('' Markandeya'') / Kuhuka ('' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Alimadra / Anibhadra ('' Markandeya'') / Alibhadra ('' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) * Aṅga – (Madhya-desha and Prachya Āryāvarta – Central and Eastern Āryāvarta in '' Vamana'') *Āntaranarmada / Uttaranarmada ('' Markandeya''), Sunarmada ('' Vamana'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Antargiri – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Anūpa / Arūpa (''

''), Annaja (''

'') – (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) *Aparānta / Purandhra (''

''), Aparīta (''

'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Arthapa / Atharva ('' Markandeya'') – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Aśvakūṭa – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Ātreya / Atri (''

'', '' Brahmanda'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) * Audumbara / Audambara / Audumvara – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Auṇḍra – (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) *Bahirgiri – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Bhadra – (Prachya and Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Eastern and Central Āryāvarta) *Bhadrakāra – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Bharadvāja – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Bhārgava – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) * Bharukaccha / Bhanukaccha (''

''), Bhīrukahcha ('' Markandeya''), Dārukachchha ('' Vamana''), Sahakaccha ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) * Bhogavardhana / Bhokardan (Dakshinapatha Āryāvarta – Southern Āryāvarta) *Bhūṣika (Bhushika) – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Bodha / Bāhya (''

'') – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Brahmottara / Suhmottara (''

''), Samantara ('' Brahmanda'') – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Carmakhaṇḍika (Charmakhandika) / Attakhaṇḍika (''

''), Sakheṭaka ('' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) * Darada – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern '' Āryāvarta'') *Darva – (Himalayan and Northern in ''

'' and '' Markandeya'', Parvata-shrayin and Udichya Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Daśeraka (Dasheraka) / Karseruka (''

''), Kuśeruka ('' Markandeya'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Daśamālika (Dashamalika) / Daśanāmaka (''

''), Daśamānika (''

''), Daṅśana ('' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) * Daśarṇa ( Dasharna) (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) * Druhyu / Hrada (''

''), Bhadra ('' Brahmanda'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Durga / Durgala ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Ganaka – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) * Gāndhāra / Gandharians ('' Vaēkərəta'' in

Avestan Avestan ( ) is the liturgical language of Zoroastrianism. It belongs to the Iranian languages, Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family and was First language, originally spoken during the Avestan period, Old ...

) – the people who lived in Gāndhāra and spoke Gandhari (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Gonarda / Govinda (''

''), Gomanta ('' Markandeya''), Mananda ('' Vamana'') – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Haṃsamārga / Sarvaga (Himalayan) in ''

''; Haṃsamārga (Northern and Himalayan) in ''

'' and '' Markandeya''; Karnamārga (Northern) and Haṃsamārga (Himalayan) in '' Vamana''; Haṃsamārga (Himalayan) Haṃsabhaṅga (Northern) in '' Brahmanda'' – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta; Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Hāramuṣika (Haramushika) / Hāramūrtika (''

''), Hārapūrika (''

''), Sāmuṣaka ('' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Huhuka / Samudgaka (''

''), Sahūdaka (''

''), Sakṛtraka ('' Markandeya''), Śahuhūka ('' Vamana''), Sahuhūka ('' Brahmanda'') – (Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Ijika (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Jaguda / Jāṇgala (''

''), Juhuḍa (''

''), Jāguḍa ('' Markandeya'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Jāṇgala – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Jñeyamarthaka / Jñeyamallaka ('' Markandeya''), Aṅgiyamarṣaka ('' Vamana''), Gopapārthiva ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) * Kachchhika / Kāchchhīka (''

''), Kacchīya (''

''), Kāśmīra ('' Markandeya''), Kacchipa ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Kālatoyaka – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) * Kaliṅga (central) / Arkalinga ('' Markandeya'') – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Kaliṅga (southern) – (Dakshinapatha Āryāvarta – Southern Āryāvarta) According to political scientist Sudama Misra, the Kalinga janapada originally comprised the area covered by the Puri and Ganjam districts. *Kalitaka / Kālītaka (''

''), Anīkaṭa ('' Markandeya''), Tālīkaṭa ('' Vamana''), Kuntala ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Kalivana / Kolavana (''

''), Kālivala ('' Markandeya''), Vāridhana ('' Vamana''), Kalivana ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Kantakara / Kanṭakāra (''

''), Raddhakaṭaka (''

''), Bahubhadra ('' Markandeya''), Kādhara ('' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Kāraskara / Paraṣkara (''

''), Kaṭhākṣara ('' Markandeya''), Karandhara ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) * Kārūṣa ( Karusha), later Cedi ( Chedi) – Southern and Vindhyan Āryāvarta (''

'') (Dakshinapatha Āryāvarta – Southern '' Āryāvarta''; Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) *Kāśi (Kashi) (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Kasmira ( Kashmira / Kāmīra) – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Kathas – in the River Chenab Valley (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Kauśika – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Kekeya / Kaikeyya (''

''), Kaikeya ('' Markandeya''), Kaikeya ('' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) * Khaśa / Khasha – Khaśa ('' Vamana''), Śaka ('' Brahmanda'') – (Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Kisaṇṇa – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Koṅkaṇa – (Dakshinapatha Āryāvarta – Southern Āryāvarta) * Kośala (Central) – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Kośala (Vindhyan) – (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) *Kukkuṭa – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Kulūta / Ulūta ('' Brahmanda'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Kulya – only Central in '' Markandeya''; only Southern in '' Vamana'' and '' Brahmanda'' – (Dakshinapatha Āryāvarta – Southern Āryāvarta; Madhya-desha – Central Āryāvarta) * Kuninda / Pulinda (''

''), Kaliṅga ('' Markandeya''), Kalinda ('' Brahmanda'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Kuśalya (Kushalya) – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Kuśūdra (Kushudra) – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Kuthaprāvaraṇa / Kuśaprāvaraṇa (''

''), Kuntaprāvaraṇa ('' Markandeya''), Apaprāvaraṇa ('' Brahmanda'') – (Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Lalhitta – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Lampāka / Lamaka ('' Brahmanda'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Madguraka / Mudgara ('' Markandeya''), Mudagaraka ('' Brahmanda'') – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Madras – in the River Chenab Valley (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Mādreya – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Magadha / Central and Eastern in ''

'' and '' Brahmanda'' – Magadha (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Maharāṣṭra (Maharashtra) / Navarāṣṭra (''

'') –

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

(Dakshinapatha Āryāvarta – Southern Āryāvarta) *Māheya – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Mālada / Mālava (

), Manada ('' Markandeya''), Mansāda ('' Vamana'') – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Malaka – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Malavartika – Mallavarṇaka (''

''), Mālavartin (''

''), Mānavartika ('' Markandeya''), Baladantika ('' Vamana'') – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) * Mālava / Western Malla (known as Malloí by the

ancient Greeks Ancient Greece () was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity (), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically re ...

and Malli by

ancient Romans The Roman people was the ethnicity and the body of Roman citizenship, Roman citizens (; ) during the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. This concept underwent considerable changes throughout the long history of the Roman ...

) – they were a people from southern

, including today's

Multan Multan is the List of cities in Punjab, Pakistan by population, fifth-most populous city in the Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab province of Pakistan. Located along the eastern bank of the Chenab River, it is the List of cities in Pakistan by populatio ...

city ('' Mallorum Metropolis'') and region, south of the confluence of the Jhelum, Hydaspes for the Greeks, and Ravi, Hydraotes for the Greeks, rivers (see map 8), they are mentioned by ancient Greek historiansIan Worthington 2014, p. 219. in the telling of Alexander III of Macedon's or

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...

(Iskandar) Mallian Campaign; Malada ('' Brahmanda''), Ekalavya ('' Vamana'') (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) (not to be confused with the Eastern Malla) * Malla / Eastern Malla / Śālva (''

''), Māla (''

''), Māia ('' Vamana'') – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) (not to be confused with the Mālava or Malavas of Western

Ancient India Anatomically modern humans first arrived on the Indian subcontinent between 73,000 and 55,000 years ago. The earliest known human remains in South Asia date to 30,000 years ago. Sedentism, Sedentariness began in South Asia around 7000 BCE; ...

– Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Maṇḍala / Mālava (''

''), Mālava ('' Markandeya'') – (Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Māṇḍavya – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Māṣa (Masha) – (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) *Mātaṅga – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *

/ Yatstha ('' Vamana'') – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Mekala / Rokala (''

''), Kevala ('' Markandeya'') – (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) *Mūka – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Nāsikya / Vāsikya (''

''), Nāsikānta ('' Vamana''), Nāsika ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Nirāhāra / Nigarhara (''

''), Nihāra ('' Markandeya'') – (Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Pāṇavīya – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Pāñcala ( Panchala) – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Pārada / Parita (''

''), Pāravata ('' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Paṭaccara (Patachchara) / Śatapatheśvara (''

'') – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Pūru (Puru) – Ancestors of the Paurava (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) ** Paurava – Descendants of the Puru (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *** Kuru ('' Vamana'') – Ancestors of the Kaurava (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) **** Kaurava ('' Vamana'') – Descendants of the Kuru (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *** Pandu – Ancestors of the

(Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) ****

– Descendants of Pandu (Udichya Āryāvarta and Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta and Central Āryāvarta) ***** Arjunayana – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) ****** Tomara / Tāmasa ('' Markandeya'' and '' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Pluṣṭa (Plushta) – (Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Prāgjyotiṣa ( Pragjyotisha) – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Pravaṅga / Plavaṅga (''

'' and '' Brahmanda'') – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Prāvijaya / Prāviṣeya ('' Brahmanda'') – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Priyalaukika / Harṣavardhana ('' Markandeya''), Aṅgalaukika ('' Vamana''), Aṅgalaukika ('' Brahmanda'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Puleya / Kulīya (''

''), Pulinda ('' Markandeya''), Pulīya ('' Vamana''), Pauleya ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Rūpasa / Kūpasa (''

''), Rūpapa ('' Markandeya''), Rūpaka ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Sainika / Pidika (''

''), Śūlika ('' Markandeya''), Jhillika ('' Brahmanda'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Śālva (Shalva) – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Saraja – (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) * Sārasvata – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Sauśalya (Saushalya) – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Sauvīra – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Śaśikhādrika (Shashikhadraka) – (Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Śatadruja (Shatadruja) / Śatadrava ('' Vamana'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Ṣaṭpura / Padgama (''

''), Ṣaṭsura (''

''), Paṭava ('' Markandeya''), Bahela ('' Vamana'') – (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) * Sindhu / Saindhava – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Sirāla / Surāla (''

''), Sumīna ('' Markandeya''), Sinīla ('' Vamana''), Kirāta ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) * Śudra ( Shudra / Sudra) / Suhya ('' Brahmanda'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) (not to be confused with the Shudra, a Varna) *Sujaraka – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Śulakara (Shulakara) – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Surāṣṭra ( Surashtra) / Saurāṣṭra (''

'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Śūrpāraka / Sūrpāraka (''

''), Sūryāraka ('' Markandeya''), Sūryāraka ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Śūrasena ( Shurasena) / Braj – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Taittrika / Taittirika (''

''), Turasita (''

''), Kurumini ('' Markandeya''), Tubhamina ('' Vamana''), Karīti ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Taksas – in Taksasila or

Taxila Taxila or Takshashila () is a city in the Pothohar region of Punjab, Pakistan. Located in the Taxila Tehsil of Rawalpindi District, it lies approximately northwest of the Islamabad–Rawalpindi metropolitan area and is just south of the ...

(Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Talagana / Talagāna (''

''), Stanapa (''

''), Tāvakarāma ('' Vamana''), Tālaśāla ('' Brahmanda'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Tāmasa / Chamara (''

''), Tomara ('' Vamana''), Tāmara ('' Brahmanda'') – (Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Tāmas – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Tāmralipataka – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Taṅgaṇa / Apatha (''

''), Gurguṇa ('' Markandeya'') – (Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Taṅgaṇa / Tuṅgana ('' Markandeya'') – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Tāpasa / Svāpada ('' Markandeya''), Tāpaka ('' Brahmanda'') – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) *Tilaṇga – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Traipura – (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) * Trigarta – (Parvata-shrayin Āryāvarta – Himalayan Āryāvarta) *Tugras – in the Sutlej river basin (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Tūrṇapāda – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) * Utkala – (Eastern and Central in '' Brahmanda'' – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) *Uttamārṇa / Uttama ('' Brahmanda'') – (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) *Vāhyatodara / Girigahvara ( Brahmanda) – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) *Vaidiśa (Vaidisha) / Vaidika (''

''), Kholliśa ('' Vamana'') – (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta) * Vaṅga – Central and Eastern in '' Vamana'' – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Vāṅgeya / Mārgavageya (''

''), Rāṅgeya ('' Markandeya''), Vojñeya ('' Brahmanda'') – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) *Vāṭadhāna – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) * Vatsa / Vamsa – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) *Vātsīya – (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) * Vemaka – (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) * Videha – (Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta) (

/ Tirabhukti) *Vṛka (Vrika) – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta) * Yadu ** Haihayas / Heheya (Talajangha) *** Avanti – Clan of the Haihayas (Central and Vindhyan Āryāvarta in ''

'') ***Bhoja / Gopta ('' Vamana'') (Gupta) – Clan of the Haihayas (Vindhya-prashtha Āryāvarta – Vindhyan Āryāvarta in '' Vamana'') ***Sharyatas – Clan of the Haihayas. **** Ānarta / Āvantya in '' Markandeya'', '' Vamana'' – Subclan of the Sharyatas (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) ***Tuṇḍikera / Śauṇḍikera (''

''), Tuṣṭikāra ('' Markandeya'') – Clan of the Haihayas. (Vindhyan Āryāvarta) ***Vītihotra / Vīrahotra ('' Markandeya''), Vītahotra ('' Vamana'') – Clan of the Haihayas (Vindhyan Āryāvarta) ** Cedi ( Chedi) / Chaidyas **Shashabindu / Shashabindava – **Vaidarbha / Vidarbha (

) – Vidarbha (Dakshinapatha Āryāvarta – Southern Āryāvarta) **

Yadava The Yadava (), not to be confused with Yadav, were an ancient Indian people who believed to have descended from Yadu (legendary king), Yadu, a legendary king of Chandravamsha lineage. The community was formed of various clans, being the #T ...

– Descendants of the Yadu *** Ābhīra – (Udichya and Dakshinapatha Āryāvarta – Northern and Southern Āryāvarta) ****Northern Ābhīra (Udichya Āryāvarta – Northern Āryāvarta) ****Southern Ābhīra (Dakshinapatha Āryāvarta – Southern Āryāvarta) ***Kukura – ***Satvata – *** Vrishni – ****Shainya / Shaineya * Yaudheya – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta)

Mahajanapadas (c. 500 BCE)

महाजनपद – Mahajanapada Shodasa Mahajanapadas (Sixteen Mahajanapadas) The

Mahajanapadas The Mahājanapadas were sixteen Realm, kingdoms and aristocracy, aristocratic republics that existed in ancient India from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE, during the History of India#Second urbanisation (c. 600 – 200 BCE), second urbanis ...

were sixteen great kingdoms and republics that emerged after the more powerful political entities (initially based on the territories of peoples and tribes) had conquered many others. According to the '' Anguttara Nikaya'', ''

Digha Nikaya Digha (), is a seaside resort town in the state of West Bengal, India. It lies in Purba Medinipur district and at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. The town has a low gradient with a shallow sand beach. It is a popular sea resort in India. ...

'', ''Chulla-Niddesa'' ( Buddhist Canon) *

Anga Anga was an ancient Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryan tribe of eastern South Asia whose existence is attested during the Iron Age in India, Iron Age. The members of the Aṅga tribe were called the Āṅgeyas. Counted among the "sixteen great na ...

* Assaka (or Asmaka) * Avanti * Chetiya ( Chedi / Cedi) *

* Kamboja (possibly ancestral of Nuristani) * Kashi / Kasi * Kosala * Kuru * Maccha (

) * Magadha * Malla * Panchala ( Pañcāla) * Surasena * Vajji ( Vṛji)) ** Licchavis (tribe) * Vamsha (Vatsa) According to the '' Vyākhyāprajñapti'' / '' Bhagavati Sutra'' ( Jain text) *Accha *

*Avaha * Bajji ( Vajji / Vriji) ** Licchavis (tribe) * Banga / Vanga * Kasi / Kashi *Kochcha * Kosala * Ladha / Lata * Magadha *Malavaka *Malaya (located in the Malaya mountains, southernmost part of the Western Ghats, part of the same was called the Sahya Mountains,

Southern India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...

) (probably Dravidian and Non-Indo-Aryan) * Moli / Malla * Padha *Sambhuttara * Vaccha ( Vatsa)

Mentions by Ancient Greek authors

Northwest

– Indus River Basin *Glausae (Glausaí) (may have been the Gandhari?) * Malloí / Malli (known as Mālava / Western Malla by Indo-Aryans in

ancient India Anatomically modern humans first arrived on the Indian subcontinent between 73,000 and 55,000 years ago. The earliest known human remains in South Asia date to 30,000 years ago. Sedentism, Sedentariness began in South Asia around 7000 BCE; ...

) – they were a people from southern

, including today's

city ('' Mallorum Metropolis'') and region, south of the confluence of the Jhelum, Hydaspes for the Greeks, and Ravi, Hydraotes for the Greeks, rivers (see map 9), they are mentioned by ancient Greek historiansPeter Green 2013, p. 418. in the Mallian Campaign of Alexander III of Macedon (Iskandar); Malada ('' Brahmanda''), Ekalavya ('' Vamana'') (Aparanta Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta) (not to be confused with the Eastern Malla) *Oxydracae (Oxydrakaí) (may have been the Śudra (Shudra / Sudra) / Suhya ('' Brahmanda''), not to be confused with the Shudra, a Varna) * Sattagydans – people that dwelt in Sattagydia (Old Persian Thataguš; th = θ, from θata – "hundred" and guš – "cows", country of the People of "Hundred Cows"), may have been an Indo-Aryan people of

with Iranian influence or the opposite, an

people of

with Indo-Aryan influence. *Sibae / Sobii (Sibaí / Sivaí / Sobioí / Sivioí) (may have been the Śiva or

people of Early Janapadas?) (not to be confused with the God Śiva or

) Other regions of

(''India Intra Gangem'') *Pragii / Prasii (Pragioí / Prasioí) (may have been the people of Prāgjyotiṣa or Pragjyotisha, Pragjyotisha-

Kamarupa Kamarupa (; also called Pragjyotisha or Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa), an early state during the Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, was (along with Davaka) the first historical kingdom of Assam. The Kamrupa word first appeared in the ...

Indo-Aryan or other tribes (possible)

*Alina (RV 7.18.7) (RV =

) – They were one of the tribes defeated by Sudas of the Bharatas at the Dasarajna ( Ten Kings Battle). It is suggested that they lived to the north-east of the

Kambojas The Kambojas were a southeastern Iranian peoples, Iranian people who inhabited the northeastern most part of the territory populated by Iranian tribes, which bordered the Indian subcontinent, Indian lands. They only appear in Indo-Aryan langua ...

(possible ancestors of the Nuristani that live in Nurestan) because in the 7th century CE, the land was mentioned by the Chinese pilgrim

Xuanzang Xuanzang (; ; 6 April 6025 February 664), born Chen Hui or Chen Yi (), also known by his Sanskrit Dharma name Mokṣadeva, was a 7th-century Chinese Bhikkhu, Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator. He is known for the epoch-making ...

. It is possible that they are connected with the

Alans The Alans () were an ancient and medieval Iranian peoples, Iranic Eurasian nomads, nomadic pastoral people who migrated to what is today North Caucasus – while some continued on to Europe and later North Africa. They are generally regarded ...

or Alani people who are a nomadic Iranian tribe. Alans is a dialectal cognate of Aryāna, itself derived from the root arya-, meaning 'Aryan', the common self-designation of Indo-Iranian peoples. It probably came in use in the early history of the Alans for the purpose of uniting a heterogeneous group of tribes through the invocation of a common, ancestral 'Aryan' origin. The historian S. G. Talageri identifies them with the

Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...

(Hellenes). However, the dating of the Rigveda and the hypothetical historic time for the Dasarajna-yuddha ( Battle of Ten Kings) occurred millennia before Hellenes were recorded in India. *Parsu (Parśu) – The Parsus have been connected with the Persians based on the evidence of an Assyrian inscription from 844 BC referring to the Persians as Parshu, and the Behistun Inscription of Darius I of Persia referring to Parsa as the home of the Persians. Pârsâ, is the Old Persian name for the Persis region Pars province as well as the root for the term Persian. *

Shakya Shakya (Pali, Pāḷi: ; Sanskrit: ) was an ancient Indo-Aryan clan of the northeastern region of South Asia, whose existence is attested during the Iron Age in India, Iron Age. The Shakyas were organised into a Gaṇasaṅgha, (an Aristocrac ...

– a clan of Iron Age India (1st millennium BCE), habitating an area in Greater Magadha, on the foothills of the Himalaya mountains. This is also the clan in which

Siddhartha Gautama Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist lege ...

(also known as

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...

or Shakyamuni – Sage of the Shakyas) ( to 4th centuries BCE) was born into, whose teachings became the foundation of

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

. According to Chandra Das, the name "Shakya" is derived from the Sanskrit word "śakya," which means "the one who is capable". Some scholars argue that the Shakya were of Scythian (

Saka The Saka, Old Chinese, old , Pinyin, mod. , ), Shaka (Sanskrit (Brāhmī): , , ; Sanskrit (Devanāgarī): , ), or Sacae (Ancient Greek: ; Latin: were a group of nomadic Iranian peoples, Eastern Iranian peoples who lived in the Eurasian ...

) origin (part of the

Iranian peoples Iranian peoples, or Iranic peoples, are the collective ethnolinguistic groups who are identified chiefly by their native usage of any of the Iranian languages, which are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages within the Indo-European langu ...

) and assimilated into

Hypothetical Indo-Aryans

* Mitanni Indo Aryans (–1300 BCE) – hypothetical ancient people of the northern

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

in the

Mitanni Mitanni (–1260 BC), earlier called Ḫabigalbat in old Babylonian texts, ; Hanigalbat or Hani-Rabbat in Assyrian records, or in Ancient Egypt, Egyptian texts, was a Hurrian language, Hurrian-speaking state in northern Syria (region), Syria an ...

kingdom (part of today's far western Iran, northwestern Iraq, northern Syria and southeastern Turkey), that spoke the hypothetical Mitanni Indo-Aryan (a language that was superstrate of

Hurrian The Hurrians (; ; also called Hari, Khurrites, Hourri, Churri, Hurri) were a people who inhabited the Ancient Near East during the Bronze Age. They spoke the Hurro-Urartian language, Hurrian language, and lived throughout northern Syria (region) ...

, a non-Indo-European language) and merged with the Hurrians, many of them as a social elite, in the course of the

Indo-Aryan migration The Indo-Aryan migrations were the migrations into the Indian subcontinent of Indo-Aryan peoples, an ethnolinguistic group that spoke Indo-Aryan languages. These are the predominant languages of today's Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, North India ...

(towards West in this case).

Notes

References

Sources

* * **
Chapter link with alternative pagination
(pp. 85–290) – Via Wayback Machine. ** * * * * * * {{refend