Bangladesh has a long history dating back to ancient times. It was located between the Himalayas to the north, Bay of Bengal to the south, and crisscrossed by major rivers. In ancient times, the language spoken was Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Mogadh. Several ancient empires ruled over the region, including the Mauryan Empire from 321-185 BC, the Gupta Empire from 320-550 AD, the Pala Empire from 750-1161 AD, and the Sen Empire from 1070-1230 AD. Major cities included Wari-Batashwer, Pundranagara, Tamralipti, and Lakhnauti-Gaur.