Patna is one of the
oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. Patna was founded in 490 BCE by the king of Magadha.
Ancient Patna, known as
Pataliputra, was the capital of the
Magadha Empire under the
Haryanka,
Nanda,
Mauryan,
Shunga,
Gupta and
Pala empires. Pataliputra was a seat of learning and fine arts. Patliputra was home to many mathematicians, astronomers, astrologists and scholars including
Gautam Buddha,
Aryabhata,
Panini,
Vātsyāyana,
Chanakya and
Kālidāsa. Its population during the
Maurya period (around 400 BCE) was about 400,000. Patna served as the seat of power, political and cultural centre of the
Indian subcontinent. With the fall of the Gupta Empire, Patna lost its glory. It was revived again in the 17th century by the British as a centre of international trade.
Modern history The modern district of Patna was created in September 1770 as a provincial council by the British, to supervise revenue matters of Bihar. In 1793, Patna became a separate judicial district. This led to the foundation of the modern district. The reorganization of the districts in the State took effect in 1972. On November 9, 1972,
Nalanda district was constituted by carving out the
Bihar Sharif sub-division of Patna district. ==Geography==