kingdom · Mainland Southeast Asia
Sri Ksetra Kingdom
Origins
Sri Ksetra, meaning 'field of glory', rose on the lower Irrawaddy near present-day Pyay from around the 5th century, though occupation of the site began earlier. Burmese chronicles say it was founded by princes from Tagaung, and its great circular wall, nearly 14 km around, made it the biggest of the Pyu city-states.
Rule and society
Its kings, known from inscribed funerary urns of the Vikrama dynasty, ruled a city that enclosed palaces, fields and reservoirs within its walls. Pali texts on gold leaves found at the Khin Ba mound are among the oldest Theravada Buddhist writings in Southeast Asia. Massive cylindrical stupas such as the Bawbawgyi and Payagyi still stand, and silver coins circulated in trade.
Decline and legacy
Sri Ksetra declined from the 8th century, perhaps as the Irrawaddy shifted and power moved north, and Nanzhao raids in the 9th century finished its prominence. The Pagan Kingdom inherited much of its Buddhist culture. The site is part of the Pyu Ancient Cities World Heritage Site.
On the connections map
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- Sri Ksetra Kingdom was part of Pyu city-states400 CE – 850 CE
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Sri Ksetra Kingdom. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sri-ksetra-kingdom
- MLA
- “Sri Ksetra Kingdom.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sri-ksetra-kingdom. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Sri Ksetra Kingdom.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sri-ksetra-kingdom.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Sri Ksetra Kingdom’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/sri-ksetra-kingdom (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻