Anuradhapura period (377 BCE1017)[edit]

Main articles: Anuradhapura period and Anuradhapura Kingdom

Pandyan Kingdom coin depicting a temple between hill symbols and elephant, Pandyas, Sri Lanka,
1st century CE.
In the early ages of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, the economy was based on farming and early
settlements were mainly made near the rivers of the east, north central, and north east areas which
had the water necessary for farming the whole year round. The king was the ruler of country and
responsible for the law, the army, and being the protector of faith. Devanampiya Tissa (250210
BCE) was Sinhalese was friends with the King of the Maurya clan. His links with Emperor Asoka
led to the introduction of Buddhism by Mahinda (son of Asoka) around 247 BCE. Sangamitta
(sister of Mahinda) brought a Bodhi sapling via Jambukolapattana (Sambiliturei). This king's reign
was crucial to Theravada Buddhism and for Sri Lanka.

Elara (205161 BCE) was a Tamil King who ruled "Pihiti Rata" (Sri Lanka north of the mahaweli)
after killing King Asela. During Elara's time Kelani Tissa was a sub-king of Maya Rata (in the
south-west) and Kavan Tissa was a regional sub-king of Ruhuna (in the south-east). Kavan Tissa
built Tissa Maha Vihara, Dighavapi Tank and many shrines in Seruvila. Dutugemunu (161137
BCE), the eldest son of King Kavan Tissa, at 25 years of age defeated the South Indian Tamil
invader Elara (over 64 years of age) in single combat, described in the Mahavamsa. The
Ruwanwelisaya, built by Dutugemunu, is a dagaba of pyramid-like proportions and was
considered an engineering marvel.[citation needed][citation needed][citation needed]

Bronze imitation of a Roman coin, Sri Lanka, 48th century CE.

Pulahatta (or Pulahatha), the first of The Five Dravidians, was deposed by Bahiya. He in turn was
deposed by Panaya Mara who was deposed by Pilaya Mara, murdered by Dathika in 88 BCE. Mara
was deposed by Valagamba I (8977 BCE) which ended Tamil rule. The Mahavihara Theravada
Abhayagiri ("pro-Mahayana") doctrinal disputes arose at this time. The Tripitaka was written in
Pali at Aluvihara, Matale. Chora Naga (6351 BCE), a Mahanagan, was poisoned by his consort
Anula who became queen. Queen Anula (4844 BCE), the widow of Chora Naga and of Kuda
Tissa, was the first Queen of Lanka. She had many lovers who were poisoned by her and was
killed by Kuttakanna Tissa. Vasabha (67111 CE), named on the Vallipuram gold plate, fortified
Anuradhapura and built eleven tanks as well as pronouncing many edicts. Gajabahu I (114136)
invaded the Chola kingdom and brought back captives as well as recovering the relic of the tooth
of the Buddha.
A Sangam Period classic, Manimekalai, attributes the origin of the first Pallava King from a liaison
between the daughter of a Naga king of Manipallava named Pilli Valai (Pilivalai) with a Chola
king, Killivalavan, out of which union was born a prince, who was lost in ship wreck and found
with a twig (pallava) of Cephalandra Indica (Tondai) around his ankle and hence named Tondai-
man. Another version states "Pallava" was born from the union of the Brahmin Ashvatthama with
a Naga Princess also supposedly supported in the sixth verse of the Bahur plates which states
"From Ashvatthama was born the king named Pallava".[18]

Sri Lankan imitations of 4th-century Roman coins, 48th century.

There was a huge Roman trade with the ancient Tamil country (present day Southern India) and
Sri Lanka,[19] establishing trading settlements which remained long after the fall of the Western
Roman empire.[20]

During the reign of Mahasena (274301) the Theravada (Maha Vihara) was persecuted and the
Mahayanan branch of Buddhism surfaced. Later the King returned to the Maha Vihara. Pandu
(429) was the first of seven Pandiyan rulers, ending with Pithya in 455. Dhatusena (459477)
"Kalaweva" and his son Kashyapa (477495), built the famous sigiriya rock palace where some
700 rock graffiti give a glimpse of ancient Sinhala.