Explanation:

Satavahanas became prominent in the Indian political scene sometime in the middle of the first century BC. Simuka was the founder of the Satavahana dynasty and Gautamiputra Satakarni (first century AD) is considered to be the greatest of the Satavahana rulers. The Satavahanas had their capital at Pratishthana (modern Paithan) near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. They were also knownas the Andhras.

• The Puranas and inscriptions remain important sources for the history of Satavahanas. Among the inscriptions, the Nasik and Nanaghad inscriptions throw much light on the reign of Gautamiputra Satakarni.
• The coins issued by the Satavahanas are also helpful in knowing the economic conditions of that period.The Satavahana kingdom was wiped out in the first quarter of the third century AD and the Satavahanas kings were succeeded by the Kings of lkshvaku dynasty.
• Satavahana kings started the tradition of making tax free land grants to Buddhists and Brahmanas to gain religious merit. This practice became more prominent in succeeding periods. The Satavahana kings claimed to be Brahmanas and considered it their primary duty to uphold varna system i.e. the four fold division of social structure. Whereas the feudal practice of rewarding and paying officers with land grants begun by Harsha.
• The first coins to bear the names and images of rulers were issued by the Indo-Greeks, who established control over the north-western part of the subcontinent c. second century BCE.
• Satavahana coins have been found in lead, copper, potin and silver. It is interesting to note that in the Satavahana empire the coinage of lead predominated, though copper and potin as metals for coinage were very popular.
• A special type of Satavahana coins showing double-masted sailing ships were specifically minted and circulated in the Coromandel Coast area.