{{Short description|Ancient rulers of southern India}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox family | name = Athiyaman | native_name = | other_names = Sathiyaputhra | country = | founded = | final_ruler = | titles = | historic_seat = [[Dharmapuri|Thagadur]] (Dharmapuri) | dissolution = | parent_family = | region = [[Tamil Nadu]] | other_families = [[Chera]]<ref name="chera1">{{cite book |author=Adoor K. K. Ramachandran Nair |title=Kerala State Gazetteer, Volume 2, Issue 1 |publisher=State Editor, Kerala Gazetteers, 1986 - Kerala (India) |page=229}}</ref><ref name=chera2/> }}
{{TNhistory}} '''Athiyaman''' (also known as '''Athiyan,''' '''Adhiyaman,''' '''Adigaman,''' or as '''Sathiyaputhra''' in [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]]) were an ancient line of rulers based in Thagadur, present day [[Dharmapuri]], in northern [[Tamil language|Tamil]] country, dating back to at least the 3rd century BCE.<ref>{{cite web |author=Subramanian, T. S. |date=4 July 2009 |title='Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions are the only record of old Tamil' |url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2614/stories/20090717261407000.htm |accessdate=28 November 2014 |publisher=Frontline}}</ref> They were one of the four major powers of the [[Tamilakam|Tamilakam (the Tamil country)]] during the second half of the first millennium BCE, bordered by the [[Chera dynasty|Cheras]] to the southwest and the [[Pandyas]] and [[Chola dynasty|Cholas]] to the south.
The Athiyamans are mentioned in [[Sangam literature|early historic Tamil literature (the Sangam Literature)]], as well as in inscriptions such as the edicts of the [[Maurya Empire|Maurya]] emperor [[Ashoka|Asoka]] (3rd century BCE) and a [[Tamil-Brahmi]] cave record from Jambai ([[Viluppuram district|Viluppuram]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Brahmi Inscription - Department of Archeology, Govt. of Tamil Nadu |url=https://www.tnarch.gov.in/brahmi-inscription-0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808181742/https://tnarch.gov.in/brahmi-inscription-0 |archive-date=8 August 2020 |access-date= |website=Government Archeology Department of Tamil Nadu state}}</ref> The Tamil-Brahmi inscription at [[Jambai village|Jambai]], Tirukkoyilur, provide details of their sovereignty in the c. 1st century CE.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Brahmi Inscription {{!}} Department Of Archaeology|url=https://www.tnarch.gov.in/brahmi-inscription-0|access-date=2020-06-18|website=www.tnarch.gov.in}}</ref> The most well-known ruler of this dynasty was [[Athiyamān Nedumān Añci|Neduman Anchi]], who is listed as one of the [[Last seven great patrons|kadai ezhu vallal]] (the last seven great patrons) in [[Tamil literature|early historic Tamil literature]].<ref name=":03" /><ref name=":20" /><ref name="chera2" />
Their rule is mentioned in the Gummireddipura plates, with the added title "Sathyaputhra" — meaning "Members of the Fraternity of Truth" — a term synonymous with the Chera dynasty.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}} [[Vitukathazhakiya Perumal|Vidukathazhagiya Perumal]], a late 12th century AD century ruler of this family, is described as the descendant of a certain Ezhini, an Adigaman of the [[Chera dynasty|Chera]] (Sanskrit: [[Chera dynasty|Kerala]]) family.<ref name=":03">{{Cite journal |editor-last=Hultzch |editor-first=E. |title=No. 34: Two Inscriptions of Vidugadalagiya Perumal |url=https://archive.org/details/EpigraphiaIndicaVol6/page/n410/mode/1up |journal=Epigraphica Indica |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |volume=VI |pages=331–334}}</ref><ref name=":20">{{Cite journal |last= |first= |date=1890 |editor-last=Hultzsch |editor-first=E. |title=Tirumalai Inscriptions (No. 75 and 76) |url=https://archive.org/details/southindianinscr014359mbp/page/n119/mode/1up |journal=South Indian Inscriptions |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |volume=I |pages=106–07}}</ref><ref name="chera2">{{cite book |author=V. Manickam |title=Kongu Nadu, a History Up to A.D. 1400 |publisher=Makkal Veliyeedu, 2001 - Kongu Region (India) - 647 pages |page=151}}</ref>
==Inscriptional records==
=== Inscriptions of Ashoka === The [[Maurya Empire|Maurya]] emperor [[Ashoka]] (3rd century BCE) mentions the Athiyaman dynasty—as the Sathiyaputhras—in his inscriptions, alongside the [[Chola dynasty|Cholas]], [[Pandya dynasty|Pandyas]], and [[Chera dynasty|Cheras]] (referred to as the Keralaputhras). This suggests that the Athiyamans held significant importance in south India during Ashoka's time, on par with the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas.{{Cquote|"Ye Ca anta ata Choda, Pandiya, Satiyaputo, Kedalaputo, Tambapanni, Antiyogo nama, Yonalaja" }} {{Cquote|Everywhere in the conquered dominions of king Priyadarsin, the Beloved of the Gods, and the dominions on the borders as those of the Chola, the Pandya, the Satiyaputra, the Keralaputra, Tamraparni, the Yavana King named Antiyoka and the other neighbouring kings of this Antiyoka... }}
=== Jambai inscription === A [[Tamil-Brahmi]] inscription, generally dated to the 1st century CE, found at [[Jambai]] in [[Tirukkoyilur]], [[Viluppuram district]] (formerly [[South Arcot]]) in [[Tamil Nadu]], refers to the Athiyaman dynasty as the Sathyaputhras.<ref>[http://tamilartsacademy.com/articles/article25.xml Asoka and the Tamil Country: The Evidence Of Archaeology] - Dr. R. Nagasamy, Tamil Arts Academy</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/south_indian_inscriptions/volume_13/introduction_1.html |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |title=South Indian Inscriptions Volume_13 - Cholas Inscriptions @ whatisindia.com |url-status=live |accessdate=2013-07-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718040058/http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/south_indian_inscriptions/volume_13/introduction_1.html |archive-date=18 July 2011 }}</ref>
[[File:Jambai inscription on Adhiyamaan Nedumaan Anji.jpg|thumb|Jambai Inscription]]
{{Cquote|{{center|"''satiyaputō atiyan neṭumān añci itta paḷi"<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Mahadevan |first=Iravatham |url=https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674012271 |title=Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century AD |publisher=Cre-A and Harvard University |year=2003 |series=Harvard Oriental Series |pages=398–399}}</ref><ref name="Kongu Nadu, a history up to A.D. 1400, page 152">''Kongu Nadu, a history up to A.D. 1400, page 152''</ref>''}} }}
{{Cquote|{{center|''The hermitage was given by Atiyan Netuman Anci, the Satiyaputta.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Mahadevan |first=Iravatham |url=https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674012271 |title=Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century AD |publisher=Cre-A and Harvard University |year=2003 |series=Harvard Oriental Series |pages=398–399}}</ref><ref name="Saptar̥ṣīśvara temple in the lower Kaveri Delta, page 13">''Saptar̥ṣīśvara temple in the lower Kaveri Delta, page 13''</ref>''}} }}
The inscription records the endowment of a cave-shelter by the ruler Athiyan Neduman Anchi, who bears the title "Sathiyaputho". It provides the names of his dynasty ("Athiyan"), his father ("Neduman"), and himself ("Anchi").<ref name=":0">I. Mahadevan, RECENT DISCOVERIES OF JAINA CAVE INSCRIPTIONS IN TAMILNADU</ref> The Athiyan ruler Neduman Anchi mentioned in the inscription is also referenced in [[Sangam literature|early historic Tamil works]] such as [[Purananuru]] and [[Akanaṉūṟu|Akananuru]].''<ref>Dr. R. Nagasamy, Asoka and the Tamil Country: The Evidence Of Archaeology</ref>'' The discovery of this inscription enabled historians to identify the title "Athiyaman", found in [[Sangam literature|early Tamil literature]], with the "Sathiyaputras" mentioned in Ashoka's inscriptions.<ref name=":0" />
The Gummireddipura plates also mention the Sathyaputhra Adigaman dynasty.
== See also == * [[Velir]] * [[Kingdoms of Ancient India]]
== Notes == {{Reflist}}
==References== * Sastri, K.A. Nilakanta, ''A History of South India'' (1955), OUP, New Delhi * {{cite web |author=Iravatham Mahadevan |title=RECENT DISCOVERIES OF JAINA CAVE INSCRIPTIONS IN TAMILNADU |url=http://www.jainsamaj.org/literature/recent-171104.htm |publisher="Rishabh Saurabh" Published on the occasion of Seminar on "Jaina Heritage of Karnataka, held at Bangalore ( Organised by Rishabh Dev Foundation , Delhi ) on 4th & 5th April 1994" |accessdate=2007-05-04 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215608/http://www.jainsamaj.org/literature/recent-171104.htm |archivedate=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Athiyamaan}} [[Category:Sangam period]] [[Category:Kingdoms in the Puranas]] [[Category:Tamil empires and kingdoms]]