Kings farmers and towns

Why study Mauryas?

• Ashoka: humble powerful inspirational
• 19th century questions on India's superiority in traditions, arts and sculptures

Divine Kings

• Ashoka Piyadassi, Egypt
• Kushana(Central Asian): Devaputra (like chinese)
• coins, statues: sides=king:deities

Samantas

Prashasti/commoner perceptions

Gandatindu (Jatakas) disguised king- forest escapees

Agriculture

• Subaltern: Iron tipped ploughshare - Ganga valley paddy (not in semicarid regions)
  • hoe: n-e, central
  • irrigation: tanks wells canals Gahapati Pali:- vellalar (sangam) uzhavar (plough men) adimai (slaves)

copper plates partly in sanskrit

Prabhavati Gupta granted land in Inscription: land grants and rights of the donees - agrahara

• strategy to extend agriculture to new areas
• weakening political power as kings were losing control over their samantas, they tried making allies, facade of power

Urban /Trade with Roman Empire

Northern Black Polished Ware
And gold jewelleries hard to excavate

Periplus of the Erythraean Sea

Tamil: Masattuvan
Prakrit: Setthis and satthavahas

Punch marked coins of silver and copper, by kings and merchants, first were Indo Greek, first gold coins by Kushanas (heavy amount of trade) by Romans outside their empire

Copper coins by tribal republics, Yaudheyas of Punjab and Haryana

Gold coins hoards found less from 6th cen

• collapse of the western Roman empire, long distance trade declined, affected prosperity of the regions benefitted by it
• new towns and networks of trade emerged, coins still mentioned in inscriptions
• perhaps more coins in circulation less being hoarded

Limitations of Inscriptions

Ashokan Brahmi deciphered in 1838, language was prakrit, same for kharosthu scripts of indo Greek kings

• they add their ideas, judge questionable claims, match content style language
• Inscription mentioning ashokas anguish not in Orissa, why?
• faintly engraved, damaged or missing letters, debates over meaning
• many didn't survive, many not found yet
• limited perspective, skewed image
• sub altern views challenge

Land grants to Brahmanas affected agriculture by:

• Creating new agricultural settlements in previously uncultivated areas
• Introducing systematic farming techniques through Brahmanical communities
• Establishing permanent cultivation instead of shifting agriculture
• Providing tax-free status that encouraged agricultural investment
• Creating surplus that supported temple economies and local trade
• Bringing irrigation technology to new regions through organized communities

Exercise questions

Craft production evidence in early historic cities vs Harappan:

Early Historic Cities:

• Specialized craft quarters (potters, metalworkers, bead makers)
• Diverse pottery styles showing regional variations
• Iron tools and weapons production
• Coin minting workshops
• Luxury goods for trade (textiles, jewelry, perfumes)
• Written records of craft guilds and merchant activities

Harappan Cities:

• Standardized weights, measures, and brick sizes across regions
• Mass-produced pottery with limited variation
• Sophisticated drainage and urban planning
• Uniform seals and script
• Evidence of centralized control over craft production
• Less evidence of individual craft specialization

Key difference: Early historic cities show more diversity and regional variation, while Harappan cities demonstrate remarkable standardization and centralized planning.

Salient features of Mahajanapadas:

• 16 major territorial states mentioned in Buddhist and Jain texts
• Transition from tribal to territorial organization
• Fortified capitals with permanent armies
• Regular taxation systems replacing voluntary contributions
• Monarchical and republican forms of government
• Use of iron technology for agriculture and warfare
• Emergence of cities as administrative and commercial centers
• Competition for resources leading to warfare and expansion

Historians reconstruct ordinary people's lives through:

• Archaeological evidence: pottery, tools, house remains, burial practices
• Literary sources: folk tales, religious texts mentioning daily activities
• Inscriptions: land grants, guild records, merchant donations
• Numismatic evidence: coins showing economic activities
• Art and sculpture: depicting daily life, occupations, clothing
• Comparative ethnography: studying similar contemporary societies
• Environmental archaeology: studying climate, crops, animal remains

Problems faced by epigraphists:

• Damaged or weathered inscriptions with missing text
• Unknown scripts and languages
• Dating difficulties when chronological markers absent
• Fake inscriptions created for political or commercial purposes
• Deciphering technical terminology and local dialects
• Interpreting formulaic language that may not reflect reality
• Limited geographical and social scope of available inscriptions
• Bias toward elite and religious contexts over common people

Q6: Mauryan Administration & Asokan Inscriptions

• Main features: Centralized bureaucracy, taxation, roads, military
• Key officials: Rajukas (district), Pradesikas (provincial), Yuktas (local)
• Inscription evidence: Dharma policies, welfare projects, royal tours, standardized communication

Q7: D.C. Sircar Statement

• Inscriptions show: Royal/elite perspective, politics, donations, official orders
• Inscriptions miss: Common people, daily life, folk culture, informal economy
• Conclusion: "Top-down" view only, incomplete picture

Q8: Post-Mauryan Kingship

• Key changes: Less institutional, more personal rule
• New concepts: Divine/semi-divine status, dharmaraja ideal
• Influences: Greek-Hellenistic + Indian traditions
• Regional variations: Different models (Satavahanas vs northern dynasties)

Q9: Agricultural Transformation

• Technology: Iron ploughs, better irrigation (canals/tanks/wells)
• Expansion: Land clearance, heavier soil cultivation
• Crops: Rice expansion, wheat/barley varieties, diversification
• Land tenure: Brahmana grants, religious donations
• Trade impact: Technique/crop exchange across regions

Prominent Features of Mahajanapadas
• Large territorial kingdoms (6th-4th century BCE)
• Urban centers with fortified capitals
• Standing armies and organized taxation
• Republican or monarchical governance
• Agricultural surplus supporting specialization

Three Major Mahajanapadas:
• Magadha - Eastern India, capital Rajagriha
• Kosala - Northern India, capital Ayodhya
• Vajji - Confederation republic, capital Vaishali

Rise of Magadha & Capital Shift

Rise Factors:
• Strategic location controlling Ganges trade routes
• Iron ore deposits enabling superior weapons
• Fertile agricultural land providing economic base
• Aggressive expansion under Bimbisara and Ajatashatru
• Diplomatic marriages and military innovations

Capital Shift Reason:
Shifted from Rajagriha to Pataliputra because Pataliputra offered better strategic control over Ganges river system, enhanced trade connections, and central location for governing expanded territories.