Satavahana Dynasty (Andhras) - Telugu Praja Rajyam

 Satavahana Dynasty is Known as 

"Andhras" 

The Satavahanas (Sādavāhana or Sātavāhana, IAST: Sātavāhana), also referred to as the Andhras in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavahana rule began in the late second century BCE and lasted until the early third century CE, although some assign the beginning of their rule to as early as the 3rd century BCE based on the Puranas, but uncorroborated by archaeological evidence. The Satavahana kingdom mainly comprised the present-day Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. At different times, their rule extended to parts of modern Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka. The dynasty had different capital cities at different times, including Pratishthana (Paithan) and Amaravati (Dharanikota).

The use of the names "Andhra" and "Andhra-Jatiya" in the Puranas has led some scholars, such as E.J Rapson and R.G Bhandarkar, to believe that the dynasty originated in the eastern Deccan region (the historic Andhra region, present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana). At Kotilingala in Telangana, coins bearing the legend "Rano Siri Chimuka Satavahanasa" were found. Epigraphist and numismastist P. V. P. Sastry initially identified Chimuka with the dynasty's founder Simuka, because of which Kotilingala came to be known as the only place where coins attributed to Simuka were found.[citation needed] Coins attributed to Simuka's successors Kanha and Satakarni I were also discovered at Kotilingla. Based on these discoveries, historians such as Ajay Mitra Shastri, D. R. Reddy, S. Reddy and Shankar R. Goyal theorised that Kotlingala was the original home of the Satavahanas. Ajay Mitra Shastri stated that the finding of the coins at Kotilinga give "a clear pointer to the region where we have to locate the original center of the Satavahana political authority." However, the coin samples from Kotlingala are small, and it is not certain if these coins were minted there or reached there from somewhere else. Moreover, the identification of Chimuka of Kotilingala with the dynasty's founder Simuka has been contested by several scholars including P. L. Gupta and I. K. Sarma, who identified Chimuka as a later ruler. P.V.P. Sastry also later changed his view, and stated that the two kings were different. In addition to the Kotilinga find, a coin of the Satavahana prince Saktikumara, who was in the fourth generation of the founder, has been reported as a stratified find from the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. As for the Puranas, these texts could have been compiled at a later date and it is not certain if the Satavahanas were referred to as Andhras during their time.

Satavahana Dynasty is a Andhra Dynasty

Andhras are the Present Day "Telugus"

Andhra (Telugu: ఆంధ్ర) was a kingdom mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. It was a southern kingdom. The state Andhra Pradesh got its name from this kingdom.

Andhra communities are also mentioned in the Vayu and Matsya Purana. In the Mahabharata the infantry of Satyaki was composed of a tribe called Andhras, known for their long hair, tall stature, sweet language, and mighty prowess. They lived along the banks of the Godavari river. Andhras and Kalingas supported the Kauravas during the Mahabharata war. Sahadeva defeated the kingdoms of Pandya, Andhra, Kalinga, Dravida, Odra and Chera while performing the Rajasuya yajna. Buddhist references to Andhras

In the sixth century BCE, Assaka was one of the sixteen mahajanapadas. It was succeeded by the Satavahana Dynasty (230 BCE-220 CE), who built the city of Amaravati. The kingdom reached its zenith under Gautamiputra Satakarni. At the end of the period, the Telugu region was divided into fiefdoms ruled by lords.

The entire region of Andhra contains a profusion of curious historical artifacts, rock art, stone age tools that describe the growth patterns in the region. The earliest references to Andhra comes from the Jataka Tales and Pallava inscriptions as Andhapatham and Andhakas referring to the region and its people respectively. 

The earliest description of the people belonging to the present Andhra region though comes from the Buddhist sculptures at Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh. The locals here are depicted as having the heads of snakes. This is, as is common in those times, a symbolic representation. Also, the region is also referred to as Nagadesa and its kings as Nagas. 

The word Andhra is first observed from Udyotana's description of 'those with beautiful bodies, who love women and war alike and are great consumers of food' in 779 CE The reference to Aitareya Brahmana is generally not taken as a basis as it evolved and grew for over 2500 years with many additions throughout the time, till it is canonized in the medieval times.

Andhra people in the present day are identified as Telugu People belonging to the coastal regions of erstwhile Kalinga (Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari Districts/above Godavari River of present state of Andhra Pradesh, India) and Trilinga Desa (West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts). The predominant languages are Telugu and English with Koya, Savara, Lambadi, Gadaba, Tamil and Urdu.