Uraiyur:

Literally meaning "the living place", Uraiyur was an ancient Chola city with a fortress and citywall on the southern banks of river Ponni and was made the official capital of the Chola empire around 540 B.C.E. by Tittan ( henceforth he was called 'Uraiyur thandha Thiththan'). ILancaeN Cenni(275 B.C.E.) and Karikaalan II(75 B.C.E.) during their reigns shifted their capital back to the ancient port-city of Poompuhar .