Mathura has an ancient history and is mentioned in the Indian epic Ramayana. According to the Ramayana, Shatrughna, the Ikshwaku prince, slayed a demon called Lavanasura and gained possession of the area later known as Madhuvan, then Madhupura, and finally Mathura. By the 5th century BC, during the time of Buddha, it had established itself as a major metropolis and the capital of the Surasena kingdom - one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas. During this period which lasted until the 4th century AD, the city flourished with art and culture and underwent significant economic growth under the rule of Vashishka, Huvishka, and Kanishka.