The Anuradhapura kingdom ( Sinhala : අනුරාධපුර රාජධානිය , translit: Anurādhapura Rājadhāniya, Tamil : அனுராதபுர இராச்சியம் ), named for its capital city , was the second established kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka related to the Sinhalese people . According to the Mahāvaṃsa , it was founded by King Pandukabhaya in 437 BC, whose authority extended throughout the country. [ 11 ] Buddhism played a major role in the Anuradhapura period, influencing its culture, laws, and methods of governance. [ N 2 ] The society and the culture were revolutionized when the faith was introduced during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa ; this cultural change was further strengthened by the arrival of the tooth relic of the Buddha in Sri Lanka and the patronage extended by her rulers. [ 12 ] During the Anuradhapura era, the country was invaded by South Indians several times. Ru...