☼ Nanda Dynasty : 344 BC - 323 BC.
• The Shisunaga dynasty was overthrown by Mahapadma who established a new line of kings known as the Nandas.
• Mahapadma was the founder of the Nanda dynasty.
• Mahapadma is known as Sarvakshatrantak i.e. Uprooter of all the Kshatriyas (Puranas) and Ugrasena i-e. Owner of huge army (Pali texts).
• The Puranas call Mahapadma Ekrat i.e. the sole monarch. He seems to have overthrown all the dynasties which ruled at the time of Shisungas. He is often described as ‘the first empire builder of Indian history’.
• Mahapadma was succeeded by his eight sons.
• Dhanananda was the last son of Mahapadma.
• The last king Dhanananda is possibly identical with the Agrammes or Xandrames of the Greek texts.
• Alexander's invasion took place during the rule of Dhanananda in north-west India in 326 BC.
• According to Greek writer Curtius, Dhanananda commanded a huge army 20,000 cavalry, 200,000 infantry, 2,000 chariots and 3,000 elephants. It was the might of Dhanananda that terrorised Alexander and stopped his march to the Gangetic Valley.
• The Nanda dynasty came to an end about 322 - 21 BC and was supplanted by another dynasty known as Mauryas dynasty.
•Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of Mauryas dynasty.
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