The Sumaran Empire, the Fifth Doctor explaining "Su-Maran" meaning "Empire of the Mara," was the star-empire created by the Mara. (PROSE: Snakdance) It's timeframe made up the Sumaran Era. (AUDIO: Neverland)
When the Great Crystal was created on Manussa in their year 2326, the Mara was able to manifest and take control, bringing the Manussan Empire to an end. (AUDIO: The Cradle of the Snake) According to another interpretation, the Mara possessed the Princess Manussa, and when she was killed moved on to possess her assistant Sumara. (PROSE: The Terrible Manussa)
The Sumaran Empire lasted for three hundred years before the Mara was banished to the Dark Places of the Inside by the Federator. Five hundred years later, the event was still celebrated by Manussans. (TV: Snakedance) Nyssa later wondered why the Mara, a spirit of chaos, would establish an empire, which implied order. (AUDIO: The Cradle of the Snake)