Kotasur

Kotasur was an ancient city located in present-day Banten Province, Indonesia. It served as the capital of the Tarumanagara kingdom, one of the earliest Hindu kingdoms on the island of Java. The city's existence is primarily known from historical records such as the Tugu inscription and other ancient texts.

Historical accounts suggest that Kotasur was a significant center of political and economic activity during the Tarumanagara period, which is generally dated from the 4th to the 7th centuries CE. The city likely served as the administrative and religious heart of the kingdom, overseeing trade, agriculture, and the collection of tribute from surrounding territories.

The exact location of Kotasur is still debated by historians and archaeologists. While it is generally accepted to have been situated in the Banten region, pinpointing the specific site has proven challenging due to the passage of time and the alteration of the landscape. Archaeological investigations have yielded some findings that potentially relate to the city, but definitive evidence remains elusive.

The decline of Kotasur likely coincided with the decline of the Tarumanagara kingdom itself. Various factors, including internal strife, external pressures from neighboring kingdoms (such as the Srivijaya), and environmental changes, may have contributed to the kingdom's eventual disintegration. Following the fall of Tarumanagara, the influence of Kotasur waned, and the city eventually faded into obscurity.