Chiefs and kings in the south

The kingdoms that emerged in the Deccan and further south during this period were notably stable and prosperous. Among these were the chiefdoms of the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas in a region called Tamilakam. Tamilakam was the name of the ancient Tamil country, and it covered not just present-day Tamil Nadu but also parts of modern Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

To understand these early states, it is essential to grasp what a chief is, as distinct from a king. A chief is a powerful man whose position may or may not be hereditary. His authority rests on support from his kinfolk. His functions typically include performing special rituals, leading in warfare, and settling disputes. Unlike kings, who usually collect taxes, a chief receives gifts from his subordinates. He often redistributes these gifts among his supporters. Chiefdoms generally lack regular armies and a bureaucracy of officials.

Our knowledge of these southern states comes from a variety of sources. The early Tamil Sangam texts, for instance, contain poems that describe chiefs and the ways they acquired and distributed resources.

Many chiefs and kings derived significant revenues from long-distance trade. This was true of the Satavahanas, who ruled over parts of western and central India from roughly the second century BCE to the second century CE, and also of the Shakas. The Shakas were a people of Central Asian origin who established kingdoms in the north-western and western parts of the subcontinent. The social origins of these rulers were often obscure. However, as seen in the case of the Satavahanas, once they acquired power they attempted to claim higher social status in a variety of ways.