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{{short description|Ancient geopolitical division and kingdom of Bengal}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name = [[File:Gupta allahabad ss.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad m.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad t.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad tt.svg|12px]]
| conventional_long_name = Samataṭa
| common_name =
| era =
| government_type = Monarchy
| year_start = 4th century CE
| year_end = 13th century CE
| life_span =
| event_start =
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| event1 =
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| event2 =
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| event5 =
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| event6 =
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| event7 =
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| event_pre =
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| event_post =
| date_post =
| p1 = Vanga Kingdom
| s1 = Gauda Kingdom
| s2 = Pala Empire
| s3 = Sena Dynasty
| s4 =
| image_coat = Bengal. Samatata. Coin of Vira Jadamarah imitative of Kushan coinage of Kanishka I. Circa 2nd-3rd century CE.jpg
| coa_size = 280px
| symbol_type = Samatata coinage of Vira Jadamarah, imitative of the [[Kushan coinage]] of [[Kanishka I]]. The text of the legend is a meaningless imitation, {{Circa}} 3rd century CE.<ref>{{cite web |title=Samatata coin |url=https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3412701&page=1&partId=1 |website=British Museum}}</ref>
| symbol_type_article =
| image_map = South Asia historical AD375 EN.svg
| image_map_caption = Samataṭa and erstwhile states of ancient India in 375 CE
| capital =
| common_languages = [[Magadhi Prakrit|Magadhan Prakrit]], [[Old Bengali]], [[Sanskrit]]
| religion = [[Hinduism]], [[Jainism]], [[Buddhism]]
| currency =
| leader1 = [[Chandra dynasty]] (as vassals of [[Gupta Empire]])<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singer |first=Noel F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LXw9pgWvFxUC |title=Vaishali and the Indianization of Arakan |date=2008 |publisher=APH Publishing |isbn=978-81-313-0405-1 |language=en}}</ref>
| leader2 = [[Gauda Kingdom]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Prasad |first=Bindeshwari |url=https://archive.org/details/dynastic-history-of-magadha-cir.-450-1200-a.-d./page/136/mode/1up |title=Dynastic History of Magadha |year=1977 |pages=136}}</ref>
| leader3 = [[Khadga dynasty]] and [[Bhadra dynasty]]
| leader4 = [[Deva dynasty|First Deva dynasty]]<ref name=":0" />
| leader5 = [[Chandra dynasty]] (continued)
| leader6 = [[Varman Dynasty (Bengal)|Varman Dynasty]]
| leader7 = [[Sena dynasty]]
| leader8 = [[Deva dynasty|Second Deva dynasty]]
| year_leader1 = 3rd century-6th century
| year_leader2 = 6th century-7th century
| year_leader3 = 7th century-8th century
| year_leader4 = 8th century-9th century
| year_leader5 = 9th century-10th century
| year_leader6 = 10th century-11th century
| year_leader7 = 11th century-12th century
| year_leader8 = 12th century-13th century
| year_leader9 = 13th century-14th century
| title_leader = Recorded dynasties
| legislature =
| stat_year1 =
| stat_area1 =
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| footnotes =
}}
'''Samataṭa''' ([[Brahmi script]]: [[File:Gupta allahabad ss.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad m.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad t.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad tt.svg|12px]] ''sa-ma-ta-ṭa'') was an ancient geopolitical division of [[Bengal]] in the eastern [[Indian subcontinent]]. The [[Greco-Roman world|Greco-Roman]] account of [[Sounagoura]] is linked to the kingdom of Samatata. Its territory corresponded to much of present-day eastern and southern [[Bangladesh]] (particularly [[Dhaka division]], [[Barisal division]], [[Sylhet Division]], [[Khulna Division]] and [[Chittagong Division]]) and the undivided [[24 Parganas]] district in southern [[West Bengal]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=onEeAAAAMAAJ|title=Historical Geography of Ancient and Early Mediaeval Bengal| author=Amitabha Bhattacharya|page=68|year=1877}}</ref> The area covers the trans-[[Meghna River|Meghna]] part of the [[Bengal delta]]. It was a center of [[Buddhist]] civilisation before the resurgence of Hinduism, and Muslim conquest in the region.

Archaeological evidence in the [[Wari-Bateshwar ruins]], particularly [[punch-marked coins]], indicate that Vanga-Samataṭa region was probably a province of the [[Mauryan Empire]]. The region attained a distinct Buddhist identity following the collapse of Mauryan rule. The [[Allahabad pillar]] inscriptions of the Indian emperor [[Samudragupta]] is the earliest reference of Samataṭa in which it is described as a [[tributary state]].

Samataṭa gained prominence as an important region of [[Bengal]] during the reigns of the [[Gauda Kingdom]], [[Khadga dynasty]], [[Waithali|First Deva dynasty]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Singer |first=Noel F. |title=Vaishali and the Indianization of Arakan |date=2008 |publisher=APH Publishing Corp |isbn=978-81-313-0405-1 |location=New Delhi |oclc=244247519}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite thesis |last=Sein |first=U. Aung Kyaw |date=May 2011 |title=Vesāli: Evidences of Early Historical City in Rakhine Region |url=https://www.academia.edu/28977977 |type=MA |publisher=University of Yangoon |access-date=}}</ref> [[Chandra dynasty]] and [[Varman Dynasty (Bengal)|Varman dynasty]] between the 6th and 11th centuries. During this period, the rulers of Samataṭa also reigned over parts of [[Arakan]], [[Tripura]] and [[Kamarupa]]. Chinese travellers provide an elaborate description of the region in the 7th century. According to [[Alexander Cunningham]], [[Jessore]] was the capital of Samatata.<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Alexander Cunningham|Cunningham, Alexander]]|title=Ancient Geography of India|location=[[London]]|year=1871|pages=501–503|publisher=[[Trübner & Co.]]}}</ref> [[Xuanzang]] of China visited the region in 630s.

Records of the [[Sena dynasty]] include mention of Samataṭa as a haven for Sena kings who escaped the Muslim conquest of western Bengal during the 13th century. The area was eventually absorbed by the forces of the [[Delhi Sultanate]].

==Names==
Samataṭa has been described by various similar names, including ''Samatat''/''Samata''/''Saknat''/''Sankat''/''Sankanat''.In [[Sanskrit]], ''sama'' means equal and ''taṭa'' means coast or shore.

==Geography==
On the basis of the evidence provided by inscriptions, Chinese writings, and archaeological evidence, it can be deduced that Samatata covered the trans-Meghna territories. It included areas along the banks of the [[Meghna River]] and its tributaries; including the modern districts of [[Bengal]] region such as [[Sylhet District|Sylhet]], [[Maulvi Bazar District|Maulvi Bazar]], [[Habiganj]], [[Sunamganj]], [[Narsingdi District|Narsingdi]], [[Narayanganj District|Narayanganj]], [[Dhaka district|Dhaka]], [[Munshiganj District|Munshiganj]], [[Brahmanbaria District|Brahmanbaria]], [[Chandpur district|Chandpur]], [[Comilla District|Comilla]], [[Noakhali District|Noakhali]], [[Jessore district|Jessore]], [[Feni District|Feni]], [[Barisal district|Barisal]], [[Khulna district]], [[Lakshmipur District|Lakshmipur]], [[North 24 Parganas]] and [[South 24 Parganas]]. It included the Bangladeshi Channel Islands of [[Hatia Island|Hatia]] and [[Sandwip Island|Sandwip]]; as well as the islands of [[Bhola Island|Bhola]], [[Maheshkhali Island|Maheshkhali]], [[Kutubdia]] and [[St. Martin's Island|St. Martin's]].{{citation needed|date=June 2023}} It included parts of [[Tripura]] (in present-day [[Northeast India]]), Bangladesh's [[Chittagong District|Chittagong]] and [[Cox's Bazar District|Cox's Bazar]] districts; and northern [[Arakan]] (present-day [[Rakhine State]], [[Myanmar]]). Samatata's erstwhile neighbours included the geopolitical divisions of [[Vanga Kingdom|Vanga]] (Southwest Bengal), [[Pundravardhana]] (North Bengal), and parts of [[Kamarupa]] (historical Assam).

==History==
{{South Asia in 350 CE||Location on the Samatatas and contemporary South Asian polities circa 350 CE.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schwartzberg |first1=Joseph E. |title=A Historical atlas of South Asia |date=1978 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |page=145, map XIV.1 (d) |isbn=0226742210 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=182 |archive-date=24 February 2021 |access-date=16 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224162023/https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=182 |url-status=live}}</ref>|{{Annotation|213|121|[[File:Long Fine Rectangle (plain).png|45px]]}}}}
The [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] geographer [[Ptolemy]] wrote about a trading post called ''Souanagoura'' in the eastern part of the [[Ganges-Brahmaputra delta]].<ref>"First, in his list of towns in transgangetic India Ptolemy mentions a place called Souanagoura which has been identified with modern Sonargaon" Excavation at Wari-Bateshwar: A Preliminary Study, Enamul Haque – 2001</ref> The archaeologist Sufi Mostafizur Rahman believes the riverside citadel in the Wari-Bateshwar ruins was the city-state of ''Sounagoura''.<ref>{{cite web |author=Kamrul Hasan Khan, back from Wari-Bateswar |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/04/01/d70401012012.htm |title=The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1008 |publisher=Archive.thedailystar.net |date=1 April 2007 |access-date=9 February 2019 |archive-date=30 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130143430/http://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/04/01/d70401012012.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref> According to Ptolemy, ''Sounagoura'' was located on the bank of the [[Brahmaputra River]] and was an "emporium", which is a term used by the [[Roman Empire]] to refer to a trading colony set up by Roman merchants. The Brahmaputra River flowed down from the Himalayas and to the east of Wari-Bateshwar before joining the Meghna River on its way to the [[Bay of Bengal]]. Ptolemy's account places ''Sounagoura'' near the old course of the Brahmaputra River. The Brahmaputra changed its course following an earthquake in 1783. Excavations in Wari-Bateshwar reveal an urban and monetary civilisation since the pre-Mauryan period.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.archaeology.org/issues/112-1311/letter-from/1406-wari-bateshwar-ptolemy-sounagoura-indo-pacific-beads#art_page2 |title=A Family's Passion – Archaeology Magazine |publisher=Archaeology.org |access-date=9 February 2019 |archive-date=24 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124202749/https://www.archaeology.org/issues/112-1311/letter-from/1406-wari-bateshwar-ptolemy-sounagoura-indo-pacific-beads#art_page2 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Shahnaj Husne Jahan X close |title=Archaeology of Wari-Bateshwar |journal=Ancient Asia |volume=2 |pages=135 |doi=10.5334/aa.10210 |year=2010 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Archaeologist and historian [[Dilip Kumar Chakrabarti]] also considers Wari-Bateshwar to be a part of the trans-Meghna region.<ref name="Chakrabarti1997">{{cite book |author=Dilip K. Chakrabarti |title=Colonial Indology: sociopolitics of the ancient Indian past |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ADZuAAAAMAAJ |date=1 June 1997 |publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd. |isbn=978-81-215-0750-9}}</ref><ref name="Chakrabarti1998">{{cite book |author=Dilip K. Chakrabarti |title=The issues in East Indian archaeology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pSNuAAAAMAAJ |year=1998 |publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal |isbn=978-81-215-0804-9}}</ref> In a book edited by [[Patrick Olivelle]], Chakrabarti states "It appears that Wari-Bateshwar belongs to the Samatata tract. Till now this is the only early historic site reported from this tract, but the very fact that it existed as early as the mid-fifth century BCE in this part of Bangladesh shows the geographical unit of Samatata, although inscriptionally documented in the fourth century CE, has a much earlier antiquity which touches the [[Mahajanapada]] period. Secondly, on the basis of the fact that Wari-Bateshwar is a fortified settlement, we argue that in addition to its character as a manufacturing and trading center, it was also an administrative center and most likely to be the ancient capital of the Samatata region".<ref name="Olivelle2006">{{cite book |author=Patrick Olivelle |title=Between the Empires: Society in India 300 BCE to 400 CE |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=efaOR_-YsIcC&pg=PA7 |date=13 July 2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-977507-1 |page=7}}</ref>

Soon after the death of emperor [[Ashoka]], the Mauryan Empire declined and the eastern part of Bengal became the state of Samatata.<ref name="PhillipsGritzner2007">{{cite book |author1=Douglas A. Phillips |author2=Charles F. Gritzner |title=Bangladesh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c-6NQOImIPMC&pg=PA32 |year=2007 |publisher=Infobase Publishing |isbn=978-1-4381-0485-0 |page=32}}</ref> The rulers of the erstwhile state remain unknown. During the [[Gupta Empire]], the Indian emperor [[Samudragupta]] recorded Samatata as a "frontier kingdom" which paid an annual tribute. This was recorded by Samudragupta's inscription on the Allahabad pillar, which states the following in lines 22–23.

[[File:Samatata in the Allahabad Pillar inscription.jpg|thumb|The name "Samataṭa" ([[File:Gupta allahabad ss.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad m.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad t.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad tt.svg|12px]]) in later [[Brahmi script]], in the [[Allahabad Pillar inscription]] of [[Samudragupta]] (350–375 CE).<ref name="archive.org">{{cite book |last1=Fleet |first1=John Faithfull |title=Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Vol. 3 |date=1888 |pages=6–10 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.49403/page/n213/mode/2up}}</ref>]]
{{blockquote|"Samudragupta, whose formidable rule was propitiated with the payment of all tributes, execution of orders and visits (to his court) for obeisance by such frontier rulers as those of Samataṭa, [[Ḍavāka]], [[Kamarupa|Kāmarūpa]], [[Nepala|Nēpāla]], and [[Kartṛipura]], and, by the [[Malavas|Mālavas]], [[Arjunayanas|Ārjunāyanas]], [[Yaudheyas|Yaudhēyas]], [[Mādrakas]], [[Abhiras|Ābhīras]], Prārjunas, Sanakānīkas, Kākas, Kharaparikas and other nations"|Lines 22–23 of the [[Allahabad Pillar|Allahabad pillar inscription]] of [[Samudragupta]] (r.c.350-375 CE).<ref name="archive.org"/>}}

[[File:Ratas Sridharanarata of the Samatata Circa AD 664-675.jpg|thumb|Coin of Ratas Sridharanarata of the Samatata dynasty, circa 664–675 CE.]]
Samatata's recorded independent dynasties are the [[Gauda Kingdom|Gauda]], [[Bhadra dynasty|Bhadra]],<ref name="Chakrabarti1991">{{cite book |last=Chakrabarti |first=Amita |title=History of Bengal, C. A.D. 550 to C. A.D. 750 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t_gfAAAAIAAJ |year=1991 |publisher=University of Burdwan |page=122}}</ref> [[Khadga dynasty|Khadga]], [[Deva dynasty|Deva]],<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> [[Chandra dynasty|Chandra]] and [[Varman Dynasty (Bengal)|Varman]] dynasties. The Khadgas were originally from [[Vanga kingdom|Vanga]] but later conquered Samatata. A Chinese account of the Khadga king Rajabhatta places the royal capital of Karmanta-vasaka (identified with Barakamata village in [[Comilla District|Comilla]]) in Samatata.<ref name="banglapedia1">{{cite Banglapedia |article=Samatata}}</ref> After the Khadgas, the Devas gained power and started ruling over the kingdom from their capital [[Devaparvata]] (identified with [[Kotbari]] area in [[Mainamati]] near [[Cumilla|Comilla City]]. The Devas were devout [[Bengali Buddhists|Buddhists]] and constructed many temples, muras and vihara in Devaparvata including [[Shalban Vihara]], [[Ananda Vihara]], [[Bhoj Vihara]], [[Itakhola Mura]], [[Rupban Mura]] etc. They were succeeded by the Chandras, who were also an important Buddhist dynasty and ruled over Samatata, Vanga and [[Arakan]] (Burma). The Chandras were powerful enough to withstand the [[Pala Empire]] to the northwest.

Samatata was a flourishing center of Buddhism. As devout [[Buddhist Tantras|Tantric]] Buddhists, the Devas and the Chandras established their religious and administrative center in the archaeological site of [[Mainamati]].<ref>{{cite Banglapedia |article=Chandra Dynasty, The}}</ref> The Chandras were also notable for [[seafaring]] networks. The ports of Samatata were linked to ports in present-day [[Myanmar]], [[Thailand]], [[Indonesia]] and [[Vietnam]]. The Chandras may have played a role in the spread of [[Mahayana]] Buddhism in [[Southeast Asia]]. Bronze sculptures may have been imported by [[Java]] from Samatata. The [[Srivijaya Empire]]'s embassies to the Pala court may have passed through the ports of southeastern Bengal. [[Arab people|Arab]] accounts also note trade routes with [[Orissa]] and [[Sri Lanka]]. 10th century shipwrecks in Indonesia provide evidence of maritime contact with Bengal.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ghosh |first=Suchandra |year=2013 |title=Locating South Eastern Bengal in the Buddhist Network of Bay of Bengal (C. 7th Century CE–13th Century CE) |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=74 |pages=148–153 |jstor=44158810}}</ref>

Samatata continued to play an important role in the history of the region until the 13th century. During the Muslim conquest of Bengal, Samatata served as the last refuge of the Sena kings.<ref name="banglapedia1"/> Its decline coincided with the [[decline of Buddhism in India]].

==Silk Road and Chinese accounts==
[[File:Pillar of temple at Shalban Bihar.jpg|thumb|Ruins of a pillar and building in Mainamati]]
[[File:Shalvan Vihara, Mainamati 10 September 2016 32.jpg|thumb|Ruins of the Shalban monastery]]
{{History of Bengal}}
The Chinese pilgrim and traveller Xuanzang, who made his way across the [[Silk Road]] from northern China into the subcontinent through present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh; visited Samatata at the end of his journey in ancient India. He called the kingdom ''San-mo-ta-ch'a''. Xuanzang found 30 Buddhist monasteries with 2000 monks in Samatata. Xuanzang also provided descriptions of the regions' geography, including the harbour of [[Chittagong]] and nearby Burmese kingdoms. A later Chinese traveller [[Yijing (monk)|Yijing]] observed that there were 4000 Buddhist monks and nuns in Samatata.<ref name="Joshi1977">{{cite book |author=Lal Mani Joshi |title=Studies in the Buddhistic Culture of India During the Seventh and Eighth Centuries A.D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-epU7NHNCOQC&pg=PA35 |year=1977 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0281-0 |page=35 |archive-date=28 September 2023 |access-date=9 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928041739/https://books.google.com/books?id=-epU7NHNCOQC&pg=PA35 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Xuanzang1906">{{cite book |author=Xuanzang |title=Si-yu-ki: Ta-T'ang-si-yu-ki. Books 6-12 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wr4iMgvgaTQC |year=1906 |publisher=K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & Company}}</ref><ref>{{cite Banglapedia |article=Chinese Accounts}}</ref><ref>{{cite Banglapedia |article=Hiuen-Tsang}}</ref>

==Epigraphy and archaeology==

===Epigraphs===
*[[Allahabad pillar]] inscription of the Gupta dynasty (4th century)
*Copperplate of Shridharana Rata
*Khadga copperplates
*Chandra copperplates
*Mehar copperplate of Damodaradeva

===Associated archaeological sites===
*[[Wari-Bateshwar ruins]]
*[[Mainamati]]
*[[Waithali]]

==See also==
*[[Indo-Roman trade]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

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[[Category:Ancient divisions in Bengal]]
[[Category:Historical regions in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Comilla District]]

Samatata - Revision history

Ptamansamrat: Pg...