The
Early Pandyas of the
Sangam period were one of the three main kingdoms of the
ancient Tamil country, the other two being the
Cholas and the
Cheras. As with many other kingdoms around this period (earlier than 200 BCE), most of the information about the Early Pandyas come to us mainly through literary sources and some epigraphic, archaeological and numismatic evidence. The capital of the Early Pandyan kingdom was initially
Korkai, around 600 BCE, and was later moved to Koodal (now Madurai) during the reign of
Nedunjeliyan I.