We all know that an empire is a large kingdom ruled by an emperor, but who first formed an empire in India? From what we know from the recorded histories, the Nandas were the first kings to form an empire in India. They assumed power, replacing the Sisunaga dynasty in Magadha. Magadha was under the powerful rule of the Nandas from 360 BC, prior to the Mauryas.
According to the Puranas, there were nine Nanda kings- a father and eight sons. The first Nanda king to rule over the large empire was Mahapadma. He had a huge army with 60,000 cavalrymen and 6000 war elephants.
The Nandas ruled almost all parts of India for a century. They are credited with implementing a more centralized administration; they introduced a new currency and taxation system and that is probably how they amassed great wealth. From the ancient texts, it is also known that the Nandas were unpopular and disliked by their subjects because of their low rank in the caste structure, excessive taxation, and their general misconduct.
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