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Gupta Empire Achievements & Contributions

The Gupta regime is referred to as the golden period in the history of ancient India. Education included grammar, composition, logic, metaphysics, mathematics, medicine, and astronomy.

Gupta architecture marked the epoch in the creation of stone temples dedicated to the various Hindu gods. Buddhists built shrines to house the remains of select holy people called stupas.

The numeral system used throughout the world today is an Indian invention, including the concept of zero and the decimal system based on the number 10.

In the field of astronomy, Indian scholars made a detailed study of solar and lunar eclipses. Aryabhata, a noted mathematician-astronomer, proposed that the earth is round and rotates about its own axis. He also discovered that the moon and planets shine by reflected sunlight. He accurately calculated the solar year and the shape and movement of astral bodies. These scientific ideas spread throughout the world through trade.

In medicine, Gupta physicians developed herbal remedies to treat various illnesses, and they vaccinated against smallpox. Religious injunctions prohibited contact with dead bodies, so scientific dissection and anatomy could not be practiced. Still, Indian physicians excelled in Pharmacopoeia, Caesarean sections, bone setting, and skin grafting.

Gupta literature contains many plays, fables, and folktales written in Sanskrit.

Chess originated during this period. Originally the pieces represented the four divisions of the military: infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots, before evolving into the modern pawn, knight, bishop, and rook, respectively.

The Gupta government was highly decentralized with the king at the top of the hierarchical structure. The entire territory was divided into different provinces with a Viceroy appointed to oversee the administration. A headman and a council of elderly members ruled the villages.

The main focus in Gupta philosophy was to achieve the life of the spirit. The principle of Moksha, or salvation, was widely practiced.

The Gupta Dynasty declined due to weak rulers and a series of invasions.


Source: Gupta Empire Achievements & Contributions
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