Sangam Age

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  • First three centuries of the Common Era.
  • Muvendar: Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas controlled major agrarian territories, trade routes and towns.
Cholas
  • Central and North part of Tamil Nadu – Kaveri delta. [Emblem - Tiger]
  • Cholamandalam – capital: Uraiyur.
  • Port town: Puhar or Kaviripattinam.
  • Pattinappalai by Katiyalur Uruttirankannanar (Describe Karikalan [son of Ilanjetchenni] trading activity).
  • Defeat – Cheras & Pandiyas.
  • Forest into habitable regions, develop agriculture (Irrigation by embankment of Kaveri) – build reservoirs.
  • Perunarkilli - Vedic sacrifice Rajasuyam
Cheras
  • Central and northern parts of Kerala and the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu (Capital: Vanji).
  • Ports: Musiri & Tondi.
  • Patitrupathu – Speak about 8 Chera king
  • Chellirumporai issued coins in his name (Copper & Lead coin) & Other coin with Bow & Arrow emblem without writting.
  • Prominent Chera kings: Imayavaramban Nedun-cheralathan & Chenguttuvan.
  • Expedition of Chenguttuvan mentioned in Silappathikaram, but not mention in sangam poet.
Pandyas
  • Ruled Madurai.
  • Port: Korkai (Refer to Periplus as Kolkoi).
  • Coin: Elephant one side & Stylish image of Fish other side.
  • Invaded Southern Kerala and controlled the port of Nelkynda.
  • Patronized the Tamil Sangams & facilitated the compilation of the Sangam poems.
  • Maduraikanchi refers to Mudukudumi- Peruvazhuthi and another Nedunchezhiyan, victor of Talaiyalanganam, few other pandya king.
  • Nedunchezhiyan is praised for his victory over the combined army of the Chera, the Chola and five Velir chieftains (Thithiyan Elini, Erumaiyuran, Irungovenman, and Porunan) at Talayalanganam.
Social Formation in Tamil Eco-zones
  • Kurinji: hilly region: hunting and gathering
  • Marutham: riverine tract: agriculture using plough and irrigation.
  • Mullai: forested region: pastoralism combined with shifting cultivation
  • Neythal: coastal land: fishing and salt making.
  • Palai: parched land. Unsuitable for cultivation and hence people took to cattle lifting and robbery.
Tamil Polity
  • Three levels of rulers are found:
    • Kizhar – Head of the village or Small territory (nadu)
    • Velir (Chieftains) - Many in number, controlled the territories of varied geographical nature, mainly hilly and forest areas,
    • Vendar - Kings controlling larger, fertile territories
  • Sangam Age society was a well-organised state society.
  • No social stratification.
  • Proper territorial association is absent.
  • Destructive warfare did not allow the development of agriculture and surplus production for the emergence of the state.
  • No evidence of taxation.
Arguments
  • Social differentiation in Marutham region.
  • The territorial associations are very clear in the case of the Muvendar, and their important position is corroborated by the Greco-Roman texts from the first century CE.
  • Warfare for territorial expansion was a major theme of Puratthinai
  • Taxation at the highways and port of Kaviripattinam.
  • Trade played an important role between the late first century BCE and third century CE.
Political Ascendancy of the Vendar
  • Certain chiefs attained higher status (vendar) through the larger and effective control of pastoral and agricultural regions, others in the marginal regions remained as chieftains (velir).
  • Vendar Titles – Kadungo, Imayavaramban and Vanavaramban and Peru Vazhuthi.
  • Patronization of bards and poets and entertaining them in their courts (avaiyam).
Society and Economy
  • Craft Production - bronze vessels, beads and gold works, textiles, shell bangles and ornaments, glass, iron smithy, pottery making. Common in the major urban centres - Arikamedu, Uraiyur, Kanchipuram, Kaviripattinam, Madurai, Korkai, and Pattanam in Kerala.
  • Maduraikanchi speaks about day markets & night markets.
  • Manimegalai refers to Magadha artisans, Maratha mechanics, Malva smiths and Yavana carpenters working in cooperation with Tamil craftsmen.
  • Trade related terms - vanikan, chattan and nigama appear in the Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions.
  • Umanar (Salt merchants), travelled in bullock carts along with their families for trade activities.
  • Chattu - Itinerary or mobile merchants.
  • Barter System of trade (Coins also in use).
  • Trade with Roman empire and southeast Asia. (overseas contacts)
Ideology and Religion
  • The Satavahanas, Sangam kings and Ikshvahus supported Vedic sacrifices.
  • varnasrama ideology root in the Tamil region.
  • Evidence of Buddhism. (Compare to jain (Supported by Merchants), Buddhist is restricted in few sites of TN)
Age of Kalabhras – Post Sangam Period
  • Roughly Between c. 300 CE and 600 CE (Pallava-Pandya period).
  • Interregnum or 'dark age' – Tamil culture disappeared.
  • Tirukkural, Silappathikaram, Manimekalai – Belong to the Period.
  • Non-orthodox religions, Jainism and Buddhism became more influential, the scholars of the orthodox Vedic- Puranic school.
  • Period of transition leading to enlarged state societies under the Pallavas (northern Tamilnadu) and the Pandyas (south) from the sixth century onwards.
  • Orthodox vedic-Puranic Religion – Bhakti cult of Saivism & Vaishnavism.

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