Madurai is one of the few cities to have enjoyed a continuous history that dates back to prehistoric times. Artifacts from the Megalithic Age and traces from the Neolithic Age have been unearthed from this region, suggesting settlements from the prehistoric times.
Available evidences suggest that Madurai was ruled by the Pandyas in ancient times. They find mention in many ancient texts and the Puranas. In one of the chapters of the Puranas, sage Agastya eulogizes the greatness and glory of the city.
However, the earliest recorded history of Madurai is available from the fourth century BC and can be found in the Tamil and Greek documents. The ancient city had links with Greece and Rome and traded primarily in spices. It was also the site of the Tamil Literary Society popularly known as the Sangam.
Madurai was taken over by the Chola emperors in the 10th century AD. The Pandyas
regained control in the 12th century AD, only to loose it again to the invaders
under Malik Kafur, in the service of the Delhi Sultanate. Malik Kafur
established his own dynasty until 1364, when it was overthrown by the
Vijayanagar kings of Hampi. In 1565, after the fall of the Vijayanagar kingdom, the Nayaks, who were the local governors of Madurai, took over. They ruled until 1781, and in this period, Madurai reached its cultural zenith. They laid out the old town on in the pattern of a lotus with narrow streets surrounding the Meenakshi Temple at the center. The streets around the temple were named after the major festivals.
The reign under the Tirumalai Nayak was the most prosperous period of Madurai. He built the gopurams (domes surmounting the gateway) of the Meenakshi temple, and under his rule, Madurai became the cultural center for the Tamil people.
The 60-year interval between the end of the Nayak dynasty and the secession of Madurai to the British is a chequered period. It passed through a series of rulers and influences until the British East India Company finally took it over in 1801. In 1840, the company razed the fort that had previously surrounded the city and filled it with moat. They constructed four broad streets-the Veli streets-on the top of this fill defining the limits of the old city.