Gupta Empire:

• 10 1. Source material - Puranas, Devichandraguptam & Mudrakshasam are written by Visakadatta, Kamandaka wrote Nitasara about administration, Vajjika (Kaumudi Mahotsava) coronation of  chandragupta, Basa wrote savpanavasavadata, Shudraka wrote Mrichkattika, Somadeva wrote kathasaritsagar. Fahien (came during Chandragupta II) his book Fu Kuo ki. 
• 2. Inscriptions - Mehrauli Iron Pillar (Chandragupta I) & Allahabad Pillar (Samudragrupta, classical Sanskrit, nagri script, 33 lines by Harisena, also known as Prayag prashashti) Harisena was also maha-danda-nayaka (chief judicial officer). SG's achievements. Gaya copper plate inscription during Samudragupta, Land donated for Buddhist Vihara. Skunda Gupta, Bhitari inscription, invasion of Huns. Bhanu Gupta Eran Inscription about evidence of sati. 

• 3. Numismatic Sources: Coins of Gupta Dinars. Chandragupta Coins, Potrait of King and Queen, (Kumara devi). Coins of Samudra Gupta, playing veena title kavi raja, performing rituals title Ashvamedha parakarma. Coins of CG II, hunting lion, Title Simha Chandra, Also 1st guptans king who issued silver coins rupya. Coins of Kumara Gupta, performing Ashvamedha.
• 4. Chandragupta I (320-330 AD) - founder of Gupta dynasty was Sri Gupta, succeeded by Ghatotkacha - both called Maharajas. Next was CG I, first to be called Maharajadhiraja (great king of kings). Extensive conquests - Kumaradevi (Licchavi princess), considered to be founder of Gupta era.
• 5. Samudragupta (330-380) - greatest ruler of Gupta dynasty. Allahabad pillar - detailed account - refers to 3 stages in military campaign: (1) against some rulers of North India - defeated Achyuta and Nagasena (Kota family ruling over upper Gangetic valley) (2) Dakshinapatha expedition under South Indian rulers - defeated 12 rulers in his South Indian expedition, only asked them to acknowledge his suzerainty (3) second campaign against other rulers of North India - eliminated remaining north Indian rivals, 9 rivals, most were Naga family. Issued gold & silver coins with legend 'restorer of asvamedha'. 
• 6. Samudragupta the hipster - polished intellect, poetic skill and proficiency in music, was called Kaviraja. Promoted Sanskrit literature and learning, was patron to many poets and scholars (eg - Harisena, Buddhist - Vasubandu), court was adorned by navratnas - foremost was Kalidasa. Ardent Vaishanvite but tolerant. 
• 7. Chandragupta II (380-415) - inherited father's military genius, extended empire by own conquests and alliances. Married Kuberanaga (Naga princess of central India), married off his daughter Prabhavati to Vakataka prince Rudrasena II - alliance served useful against Sakas.  Greatest military achievement - war against Saka satrap of Western India, Rudrasimha defeated and killed. Malwa and Kathiawar peninsula.  Assumed title - Sakari, destroyer of Sakas, & Vikramaditya. Ujjain became alternative capital and trade flowed from Bengal to Cambay. Great wealth of Gupta empire (Roman gold) -> seen in variety of gold coins issued. 
• 8. Fahien - came to India by land, returned by sea route, stayed for 9 years. Purpose - to see land of Buddha and collect Buddhist manuscripts. As per him - Buddhism flourished in NW India but in a state of neglect in Gangetic valley (he called it 'land of Brahmanism'). Not interested in political affairs, primary interest was religion. // Gupta period under CG II referred to as golden age. 
• 18. Chandra Gupta II Navratnas, 9 Jewels: (1) Kalidasa - flourished during the reign of Chandragupta II. Plays - Abhigyan Shakuntalam, Malvikaagnimitram, Vikramorasiyam. Poems- Kumarasambhava, Raghuvamsa. (2) Vishnu Sharma- Panchtantra, (3) Amarasimha- Amarkosha, (4)Aryabhata, mathematician and astronomer - wrote Aryabhatiyam and Aryasiddhanta. Day and night caused by rotation on axis, explained eclipses, calculated circumference of a circle. (5) Vararuchi: Prakruta Prakasa (6)Susruta: Book on Surgery (7) Dhanvantri, medical dictionary nighantu, (8)Varahamihir- Brihat Samhita and Panchasiddhantika, (9) Brahmagupta: BrahmaSiddhantika.
• 9. Kumaragupta - reign marked by peace and prosperity. Laid foundation of Nalanda university. Defeated by Pushyamitras, Huns from Cental Asia made invasion. Successor Skandagupta faced the Hun invasion and saved the empire but drain on empire's resources. Eventual successors couldn't save empire from Huns and Gupta power totally disappeared.
• 10. Administration - Gupta kings assumed titles like Paramabhattaraka, Maharajadhiraja, Parameshwara, Samrat, Chakravartin. King assisted by council consisting of chief minister, commander in chief, top diplomat, et al. Provincial administration thru class of officials called Ayuktas and Kumaramatyas. Fahein account - no state interference in individual's life, efficient administration, prosperous people and negligible crime. More liberal admin than Mauryas. (Depended on Samantas, men who maintained themselves thru local resources including control over land). Agrahara - land grant to Brahman who was exempt from paying land revenue but had to collect from locals
• 11. Guptan Administration Imp posts around this time. Decentralized and Quasi Federal In Nature.
• a. Kumar-amatya: important minister
• b. Sandhi-vigrahika: minister of war and peace
• c. Nagara-shreshthi: chief banker/merchant
• d. Sarthavaha: leader of merchant caravans
• e. Prathama-kulika: chief craftsman 
• f. Kayasthas: scribes 
• g. Samantas: military leaders who provided troops in lieu of land 
• 12. Social life - Indian society had given way to those foreigners who became permanent residents here. Caste system became rigid, Brahmins occupied top ladder, given enormous gifts by rulers and other wealthy people. Practice of untouchability slowly began. Position of women also miserable, prohibited from studying religious texts like puranas, subjection of women to men was thoroughly regularized. Swyamvara given up and early marriage of girls. Brahamanism reigned supreme. It had two branches - Vaishnavism and Saivism. Most Gupta kings were Vaishnavites, performed asvamedha sacrifices. Worship of images and celebration of religious festivals -> made both branches popular. In West and south India - Jainism flourished. Jain council held (2nd) at Valabhi and Jain canon of Swetambras was written (12 Angas).
• 13. Art science literature - tremendous progress, hence called golden age. No dark period before - hence better called as culmination of Indian intellectual activities. Art & architecture - Nagara and Dravidian style of art evolved during this period but architecture lost due to Hun invasion. Temple at Deogarh (Jhansi), sculptures in Garhwas (Allahabad) - important specimen of Gupta art. No influence of Gandhara style. Mehrauli iron pillar still rust free. Paintings of Gupta period - Bagh caves near Gwalior. Mural paintings of Ajanta - life of Buddha as in Jataka stories. Ajanta style - paintings in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.
• 14. Literature - Sanskrit prominent language, nagari script had evolved from brahmi script. Best of sanskrit literature belong to Gupta age. Kalidasa's Shakuntala, Malavikagnimitra, Vikramorasiya. Visakadattta - another celebrated author - Mudraraksha and Devichandraguptam. Puranas in present form were composed during this period - 18 puranas. Mahabharat and Ramayana given final touches. 
• 15. Science - brilliant activity in sphere of mathematics, astronomy, astrology and medicine. Aryabhatta - wrote Aryabhatiya in 499 AD, explained scientifically occurrence of solar and lunar eclipses. First to declare that earth was spherical in shape and rotates on own axis. Views later rejected by Virahamihira and Brahmagupta. Virahamihira - composed Pancha Siddhantika (5 astronomical system) and Brihadsamhita (work in Sanskrit literature), great authority on astrology and Brihadjataka (standard work on astrology). Vagbhata - last of great medical trio (Charaka and Susruta). Author of ashtangasamgraha (summary of 8 branches of medicine).