The Gupta Empire was an ancient
Indian empire which existed from
approximately 320 to 550 CE and covered much
of the Indian Subcontinent. Scholars of this
period include Varahamihira and Aryabhatta
who is believed to be the first to come up with
the concept of zero, postulated the theory that the
Earth moves round the Sun, and studied solar
and lunar eclipses. The most famous works of
Aryabhatta are the Aryabhatiya and the Arya-
siddhanta. Varahamihira was an Indian
astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer who
lived in Ujjain. He is considered to be one of the
nine jewels (Navaratnas) of the court of
legendary ruler Vikramaditya (thought to be the
Gupta emperor Chandragupta II Vikramaditya).