The town has existed since at least the 3rd century BCE (
Satavahana period) when, according to
Ptolemy, it was known as Maisolos. The
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea calls it Masalia in the 1st-century BCE. The port is on the southeastern, or
Coromandel Coast, of India. At the mouth of the
River Krishna on the Bay of Bengal, the Masula port saw flourishing sea trade. Muslin was traded by ancient Greeks from the town and the word
muslin originated from the name Maisolos. Muslin was an important source of income for the town, being a favourite of Roman traders for domestic consumption. Several Roman coins were found during excavations of Buddhist towns near Machilipatnam. The town served as the primary sea port for the
Kingdom of Golkonda. It was an outlet for textiles produced in the
Godavari Delta. It was a major source of income for the kingdom, and contributed to its immense prosperity in the 1620s and 1630s. By the end of the 17th century, the port city had fallen into decline. This coincided with the
Mughal conquest of Golkonda. However, mismanagement prior to the conquest may have also been a factor in the city's decline.
Salabat Jung, the son of Nizam-ul-Mulk
Asaf Jah I, who was indebted for his elevation to the throne to the
French East India Company, granted them in return for their services the district of
Kondavid or
Guntur, and soon afterwards the remainder of the
Circars. The Circars were captured by the British from the French in 1759 and were returned to the Nizam. However Masulipatnam captured by the British during the
Siege of Masulipatam was retained by the
East India Company. The town was the district headquarters of the then, Masulipatnam district and now to the
Krishna district, which was formed in 1859 in the composite
Madras state. == Geographical area ==