History · Ch 2 — Kings, Farmers and Towns — Early States and Economies
An Early Empire
An Early Empire
The Rise of the Mauryas
The growth of the Magadha kingdom reached its peak with the emergence of the Mauryan Empire. Chandragupta Maurya founded the empire around 321 BCE and extended his control as far northwest as Afghanistan and Baluchistan. His grandson, Asoka, is arguably the most famous ruler of early India. Asoka conquered Kalinga (present-day coastal Odisha), an event that profoundly shaped his later policies.
Finding Out About the Mauryas
Historians rely on a variety of sources to reconstruct Mauryan history.
- Archaeological finds, especially stone sculpture, provide material evidence.
- Contemporary works are valuable. The account of Megasthenes, a Greek ambassador to Chandragupta Maurya's court, survives only in fragments but offers a foreigner's perspective.
- The Arthashastra, parts of which were probably composed by Kautilya (Chanakya), traditionally believed to be Chandragupta's minister, is another key text.
- The Mauryas are also mentioned in later Buddhist, Jaina, and Puranic literature, as well as in Sanskrit literary works.
However, the inscriptions of Asoka (c. 272/268–231 BCE) on rocks and pillars are regarded as among the most valuable sources. Asoka was the first ruler to inscribe his messages to his subjects and officials on stone surfaces — natural rocks as well as polished pillars. He used these inscriptions to proclaim what he understood to be dhamma. This included:
- Respect towards elders.
- Generosity towards Brahmanas and those who renounced worldly life.
- Treating slaves and servants kindly.
- Respect for religions and traditions other than one's own.
Most Asokan inscriptions were in the Prakrit language. Those in the northwest of the subcontinent were in Aramaic and Greek. Most Prakrit inscriptions were written in the Brahmi script; some in the northwest were written in Kharosthi. The Aramaic and Greek scripts were used for inscriptions in Afghanistan.
Administering the Empire
The Mauryan Empire had five major political centres:
- Pataliputra — the capital.
- Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali, and Suvarnagiri — provincial centres, all mentioned in Asokan inscriptions.
The same message was engraved everywhere, from the North West Frontier Provinces of present-day Pakistan to Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Uttarakhand. But could such a vast empire have had a uniform administrative system? Historians now think this is unlikely. The regions were too diverse — imagine the contrast between the hilly terrain of Afghanistan and the coast of Odisha. Administrative control was likely strongest in areas around the capital and the provincial centres.
These centres were carefully chosen:
- Taxila and Ujjayini were situated on important long-distance trade routes.
- Suvarnagiri (literally, "the golden mountain") was possibly important for tapping the gold mines of Karnataka.
Communication along both land and riverine routes was vital. Journeys from the centre to the provinces could take weeks or months, requiring provisions and protection. The army was an important means for ensuring this. Megasthenes mentions a committee with six subcommittees for coordinating military activity:
| Subcommittee | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| First | Navy |
| Second | Transport and provisions |
| Third | Foot-soldiers |
| Fourth | Horses |
| Fifth | Chariots |
| Sixth | Elephants |
The second subcommittee had varied activities: arranging bullock carts to carry equipment, procuring food for soldiers and fodder for animals, and recruiting servants and artisans to look after the soldiers.
Asoka also tried to hold his empire together by propagating dhamma. Its principles were simple and virtually universally applicable. According to him, this would ensure the well-being of people in this world and the next. Special officers, known as dhamma mahamatta, were appointed to spread the message of dhamma.