Funan, 300–400 CE
Autocracy · Monarchy · Southeast Asia · Late Antiquity era
A Mekong-delta trading kingdom linking India and China by sea, Indianized in religion and statecraft.
Funan, centered on the Mekong delta with ports such as Óc Eo, was a trading kingdom that linked Indian and Chinese maritime routes and adopted Indian religion, script and statecraft. Sacral kingship, canals and control of transshipment underwrote its wealth. Known largely through Chinese accounts and archaeology, it was gradually eclipsed by successor polities upriver.
Dominant patterns
- Regime Stabilization
- Democratization
Political-science factor profile
Each factor 0–100; higher = stronger authoritarian / crisis pole (except institutional stability, where higher = stronger institutions).
| Centralization of Power | 60 |
| Media Control | 55 |
| Repression | 38 |
| Nationalism | 45 |
| Militarization | 48 |
| Economic Stress | 35 |
| External Conflict | 45 |
| Cult of Personality | 68 |
| Elite Fragmentation | 38 |
| Institutions | 55 |
| Social Polarization | 40 |
| Corruption & Patrimonialism | 45 |
| Ideological Mobilization | 55 |
| External Sovereignty | 88 |
Economy & society
| GDP per capita | $650 (intl-$) |
| Population | 1.5M people |
| Share of world population | 0.75% |
| Territory | ~200k km² |
| Capital population | ~40k |
Closest historical twins
The country-eras whose structural profile most resembles Funan 300–400 CE, by similarity score (0–100).
- Carthage, 814–750 BCE – similarity 91/100 · shared: Regime Stabilization, Democratization
- Tyre, 850–800 BCE – similarity 85/100 · shared: Regime Stabilization, Democratization
- Srivijaya, 650–750 CE – similarity 85/100 · shared: Regime Stabilization, Democratization
- Kingdom of Judah, 850–800 BCE – similarity 80/100 · shared: Regime Stabilization, Democratization
- Kingdom of Aksum, 330–370 CE – similarity 78/100 · shared: Regime Stabilization, Democratization
- Unified Silla, 668–780 CE – similarity 78/100 · shared: Regime Stabilization, Democratization
- Himyar, 320–380 CE – similarity 76/100 · shared: Regime Stabilization, Democratization
- France, 1226–1270 CE – similarity 76/100 · shared: Regime Stabilization, Democratization
What followed
- An entrepôt kingdom on the maritime silk route.
- Gradual eclipse by successor states inland.