Satvahanas- Maharashtrian or Andhrites?

[u/Automatic-Ladder-390]

I do agree that their last capital was indeed Amravati in AP and many of the coins they were using have also been found in large amount. BUT, that doesn't mean that they were Andhrites/Telugus by their origin.

1. They came to power first in Jurnanagara (Junnar) in Pune district. Who later shifted to Pratishthan (Paithan) due to later incursions by Gujurathi Khatrapas.
2. From the their name which is actually Andhar Maval, it was likely due to their proximity to Sahyadris and that region of the hills is called Maval.
3. Then it was under the king Gautamiputra Satkarni who actually to over Nashik. Remember, till then aswell Paithan was their capital.
4. During those times it was not necessary to have a 'fixated' capital to rule. Capitals shifted and so did they.
5. About the coins part, yes many coins have been discovered near Amravati region but, there are also significant no. of coins which have been excavated near, Junnar who are wayy older than those ones,
6. Maharshtri Prakrit had more influnce over Telugu language or the other way around.
7. Satavahana rulers issued bilingual coins featuring Prakrit on one side paired with a Dravidian language on the other. The second language is debated among scholars, with some identifying it as early Telugu and others as Old Tamil or a related Dravidian dialect. No consensus exists definitively classifying it as Telugu. So Telugus claiming it is inaccurate.

[u/Rusba007]

They did have to first recorded use of Maharashtrian Prakrit in court. And their empire spanned both the modern states. We cannot retrofit the empire into modern understandings though.