Inscriptions and coins

  The beginning of the prosperous economic activities and flourishing trade witnessed the evolution in the field of epigraphy which are unaltered in nature and give the rich knowledge about the dynasties and their prosperous empire. Inscriptions and coins are the major factors to contribute the right sequences of the chronology of the kingdoms. They highly accepted by the people and have been used as a vital source of Historiography. Some of them are-

1. The Aihole inscription which mentions the war between Pulakeshin II and Harsha  
2. The Prayag prasashti mentions about 2 rulers, first, the great Asoka (mentioned in Prakit language) and second Samudragupta ( engraved in Sanskrit language)   
3. The ‘Takht – I – bahi’ inscription in Sanskrit mentions about the Rudradaman who repaired the Sudarshan Lake which reflect the basic amenities provided by king to his people.            
4. The Hathigumpha inscription mentions about kharvela and 13 years of his reign over kalinga. 

                      On account of coins, numismatics is the study of coins which reveals the socio economic system of the society. The Indus valley people used the seals as a medium of exchange to trade. Punch marked coins elaborate the political aspects of the kingdom. Pure gold coins introduced in India by Indo-Greek rulers. Pliny (a Greek scholar) in his work Natural history termed the India as ‘A sink of bullion’ due to good trade relationship of India with Roman Empire. Even he emphasize that the Roman was being drained out of its gold by India. Therefore, the inscriptions and the coins witnessed the economic prosperity and flourishing trade as they are highly glorify by the patrons so a care must to be taken while studying these evidences.