It has been suggested that this article bemerged intoAnuradhapura kingdom. (Discuss) Proposed since August 2025.

Anuradhapura period
377 BCE – 1017
Pre Anuradhapura period Polonnaruwa period
Gilded bronze statue of the BodhisattvaTara, dated to the 8th century, found in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka
Including	Early Anuradhapura period Middle Anuradhapura period Late Anuradhapura period
Monarchs	House of Vijaya The Five Dravidians House of Lambakanna I The Six Dravidians House of Moriya House of Lambakanna II

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TheAnuradhapura period was a period in the history of Sri Lanka of theAnuradhapura Kingdom from 377 BCE to 1017 CE. The period begins whenPandukabhaya,King of Upatissa Nuwara moved the administration toAnuradhapura, becoming the kingdom's first monarch. Anuradhapura is heralded as an ancient cosmopolitan citadel with diverse populations.

Periodization of Sri Lanka history:

Pandukabhaya (437–367 BCE), king of Upatissa Nuwara was the first monarch of the Anuradhapura Kingdom and 6th over all of the island of Sri Lanka since the arrival ofVijaya. He reigned from 437 BC to 367 BCE. According to many historians and scholars, he was the first truly Sri Lankan king since the arrival of Vijaya and the ruler who ended the conflict between the Sinha clan and the local communities, reorganizing the populace.

Elara (205–161 BCE), aTamil King ofChola origin, ruled "Pihiti Rata"- the region of Sri Lanka north of theMahaweli - after defeating KingAsela. During Elara's time,Kelani Tissa was a sub-king ofMaya Rata in the southwest andKavan Tissa was a regional sub-king ofRuhuna in the southeast. Kavan Tissa constructedTissa Maha Vihara,Dighavapi Tank and numerous shrines in Seruvila. His eldest son,Dutugemunu (161–137 BCE),at the age of 25 defeated the South Indian Tamil Invader Elara, then over 64 years of age, in single combat, as described in theMahavamsa. Dutugemunu is often depicted as a Sinhalese "Asoka".Ruwanwelisaya, which he constructed, is a dagaba of pyramid-like proportions and stands as an engineering marvel of its time

Pulahatta (or Pulahatha) was deposed byBahiya, who in turn was deposed byPanaya Mara, followed byPilaya Mara, and later murdered byDathiya in 88 BCE,  untilValagamba finally deposed him, bringing an end to Tamil rule. Valagamba I (89–77) BCE restored theDutugamunu dynasty. During his reign, doctrinal disputes arose between the Mahavihara(Theravada)  and Abhayagiri (pro-Mahayana) traditions. TheTripitaka was committed to writing inPali atAluvihara,Matale.Chora Naga (also known as Mahanaga) reigned from 63–51 BCE and was allegedly poisoned by his consort Anula.Queen Anula (48–44 BCE),  widow of Chora Naga and laterKuda Tissa, became the first queen to rule Sri Lanka. She gained notoriety for having multiple lovers, many of whom were reportedly poisoned by her. Queen Anula was eventually killed by Kuttakanna Tissa. Vasabha (67–111 CE) is noted for the Vallipuram gold plate, fortifyingAnuradhapura, constructing eleven tanks, and issuing several edicts.Gajabahu I (114–136 CE)  invaded theChola kingdom bringing back captives and recovering the sacredTooth Relic of the Buddha.

Mahasena (274–301 CE) initially persecuted theTheravada Mahāvihāra, allowingMahayana influence to rise, though he later reconciled wirh the Mahāvihāra. Pandu (429 CE) was the first of seven Pandyan rulers, ending with Pithya in 455 CE.Dhatusena (459–477 CE), his uncle, oversaw the composition of the Mahavamsa by Mahanama, and constructed Kalaweva. His sonKashyapa (477–495 CE), built the renownedSigiriya rock palace where some 700 rock inscriptions offer a glimpse into ancientSinhala life and language.

Devanampiya Tissa (250–210 BCE), aSinhalese King of theMaurya lineage, played a pivotal role in introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka. His links with EmperorAsoka facilitated the arrival ofMahinda, son of Asoka in 247 BCE to spread the teachings of the Buddha.Sangamitta, Mahinda's sister, brought aBodhi sapling to the island via Jambukola (Sambiliturei).Sangamitta's son Samanera Sumana also accompanied them to aid in propagatingBuddhism, following theThird Buddhist Council, upon the recommendation ofMoggaliputta-Tissa (Ashoka's spiritual teacher). They were further accompanied by Bhankuka, a lay disciple and maternal grandson ofMahinda's aunt.

However, historical evidence does not confirm that Emperor Ashoka had a son named Mahinda (or by any other name) or a daughter named Sangamitta. King Devanampiya Tissa’s reign was crucial for the establishment ofTheravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka and had a lasting impact on the island’s religious and cultural history.

Manavanna (684–718 CE) seized the throne with the support of thePallavas, introducing Pallava patronage that lasted for three centuries. By the 9th century, however, thePandyan ascendancy in southern India led to the sacking of Anuradhapura. In response, the Sinhalese mounted a counter-invasion using a rival Pandya prince, ultimately sackingMadurai itself.Mahinda V (982–1029CE) was the last Sinhalese monarch of Anuradhapura. He fled toRuhuna, but in 1017, the Cholas captured him and took him to India, where he died in captivity.

In 993 CE, the Chola EmperorRajaraja I invaded Sri Lanka, forcing the then Sri Lankan ruler Mahinda V to flee to the south of the country.^[1] The Mahavamsa describes the rule of Mahinda V as weak, and the country was suffering from poverty by this time. It further mentions that his army rose against him due to lack of wages.^[2] Taking advantage of this situation,Rajendra I, son of Rajaraja I, launched a large invasion in 1017. Mahinda V was captured and taken to India, and the Cholas sacked the city of Anuradhapura. They moved the capital toPolonnaruwa and subsequent Sri Lankan rulers who came into power after the Chola reign continued to use Polonnaruwa as the capital, thus ending the Anuradhapura Kingdom.^[1]

Potsherds bearingearly Tamil writing dating back to the 5th century BCE have been discovered across Sri Lanka, fromPoonakari inJaffna in the north toTissamaharama in the south. These inscriptions include clan names such as "Vela," which is related to thevelir ofancient Tamil country.^[3]Epigraphic evidence also indicates that people identified themselves as Damelas or Damedas - theIndo-AryanPrakrit word for Tamil people - inAnuradhapura, the capital ofRajarata, as well as in other parts of the island as early as the 2nd century BCE.^[4] Excavations in the area of Tissamaharama in southern Sri Lanka have unearthed locally issued coins, produced between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century CE, some of which carry local Tamil personal names written in early Tamil characters,^[5] which suggest that Tamils were present and actively involved in trade along the southern coast of Sri Lanka by the late classical period.^[6] Other ancient inscriptions from the period reference a Tamil merchant,^{[note 1]} the Tamil householder residing in Ilubharata^{[note 2]} and a Tamil sailor named Karava.^{[note 3]} Two of the five ancient inscriptions referring to the Damedas (Tamils) are in Periya Pullyakulam in theVavuniya District, one is in Seruvavila district inTrincomalee District, one is in Kuduvil inAmparai District and one is inAnuradhapura. Literary sources also mention Tamil rulers bringing horses to the island in water craft in the second century BCE, most likely arriving atKudiramalai. Historical records establish that Tamil kingdoms in modern India were closely involved in the island's affairs from about the 2nd century BCE.^[7]

The irrigation works of ancientSri Lanka which began around 300 BC during the reign of KingPandukabhaya and continued to be developed over the next thousand years, ranked among the most complexirrigation systems of theancient world. In addition to the undergroundcanals, theSinhalese were the first to construct entirely artificial reservoirs anddams for water storage. The system was extensively restored and further extended during the reign of KingParākramabāhu.

TheHouse of Vijaya,The Five Dravidians,House of Lambakanna I,The Six Dravidians,House of Moriya and theHouse of Lambakanna II collectively produced 122 monarchs who ruled during this period.

• 377 BCE: TheAnuradhapura Kingdom is founded byPandukabhaya

• The God King, 1974 English and Sinhala historical film
• Aba, 2008 Sinhalese historical film
• Mahindagamanaya, 2011 Sinhalese historical film
• Aloko Udapadi, 2012 Sinhalese historical film
• Siri Daladagamanaya, 2014 Sinhalese historical film
• Maharaja Gemunu, 2015 Sinhalese historical film
• Mahaviru Pandu, 2020 Sinhalese drama byHiru TV
• Asirimath Dalandagamanaya, 2022 Sinhalese drama byHiru TV

• Sinhala Kingdom
• List of Sinhalese monarchs
• Architecture of ancient Sri Lanka

• Anuradhapura period
• Ancient Sri Lanka

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