TheGupta dynasty was anancient Indian dynasty, which existed from
approximately 240 to 605 CE and covered much of theIndian
subcontinent. This period is called theGolden Age of India. The Gupta
Dynasty was of Vaishya origin. Vaishya Guptas "appeared as a reaction
against oppressive rulers". The names of the first three rulers of the Gupta
Dynasty are Maharaja Sri Gupta,Maharaja Sri Ghatotkacha and
Ghatotokacha's son, andMaharajadhiraja Sri Chandragupta, who is
considered the first Guptaemperor. The Guptas were originally
inhabitants ofPrayaga (Allahabad),Uttar Pradesh, in north India, as
thevassal of theNagas orBhaarshivas. Thereafter they rose in
prominence. Another theory is that the original home of the Guptas
wasAntarvedi and embracing the regions ofOudh andPrayag. These
historians have derived their theory from several Gupta Dynasty coins
found in those regions, and this study ofnumismatic evidence led to the
theory that the Guptas were the original inhabitants of that region of
northeastern India. The Guptas were traditionally aHindu dynasty. They
were orthodoxHindus, but did not force their beliefs on the rest of the
population, asBuddhism andJainism also were encouraged. The Gupta
dynasty’s period saw the emergence of the iconic carved stone deity in
Hindu art, as well as the Buddha figure andJaintirthankara figures, the
latter often on a very large scale. The two great centres of sculpture
wereMathura andGandhara, the latter the centre ofGreco-Buddhist art.