The name of the city is derived from the term shivmoga, Moga in Kannada meansFace hence meaning Face ofShiva. An alternative etymology is that the name is derived from the term Sihi-Mogge, meaning sweet pot. The district formed the southern tip of EmperorAshoka’sMauryanEmpire in the third century BC.[citation needed]It was ruled during later centuries by theKadambas( 4th century) , Chalukyas( 6th century) , Gangas, Rashtrakutas( 8th century) , Hoysalas( 11th century) , and theVijayanagararulers ( 15th century) .
The city got an independent identity under theKeladi Nayakarule during the 16th century[citation needed], reaching its pinnacle under the rule ofShivappa Nayaka. From the late 17th century onwards, the city was a part of theKingdom of Mysoreuntil the independence ofIndiain 1947, when Mysore merged into the Republic of India.