THE WORLD ATLAS

Realm · approximate borders · 300 BCE – 300 CE

Chola kingdom (Chola Nadu)

The core of the kingdom is the Kaveri delta and Uraiyur. The western edge near Kulithalai, where Kongu begins, and the northern edge on the Vellar river are conventions taken from later Chola geography.

The southern frontier with the Pudukkottai chiefs is not described anywhere. Karikala's victories gave the Cholas leadership over the other kings, but the poems do not show any permanent annexation beyond the delta.

See Chola kingdom (Chola Nadu) on the map in 300 BCE

On the map
300 BCE – 300 CE
Capital
Uraiyur (Ptolemy's 'Orthoura'); port and later seat Kaveripattinam (Puhar)
Ports
Kaveripattinam (Puhar; Ptolemy's Khaberis, probably the Periplus' Camara)
Attested in
Ashoka RE II and XIII ('Cholas'); Pattinappalai and Porunararruppadai (Karikala's battles of Venni and Vahaipparandalai); Purananuru; Ptolemy

Rulers named in the sources

Tamilakam in the Sangam age

Sangam poetry (the Purananuru, Akananuru, Ten Idylls and Patirruppattu) describes a Tamil country running from the Venkatam hills to Cape Kumari. It was shared by three 'crowned kings' and a ring of Velir chiefs in the hills between them. The Cholas held the Kaveri delta, the Pandyas the Vaigai and Tamirabarani basins, and the Cheras the Malabar coast and later Kongu. Ashoka's edicts, the Hathigumpha inscription, the Periplus, Pliny, Ptolemy, Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions and digs at Keezhadi, Kodumanal, Arikamedu and Pattanam confirm the kingdoms, capitals and ports. No source draws a frontier, though. The changes over time follow Nilakanta Sastri's dating, which puts most named kings in c. 100–250 CE. Other scholars place them a century or more earlier.

Sources