AN EMPIRE

AN EMPIRE

The lions that we see on our notes and coins have a long history. They were carved in stone and placed on top of a massive stone pillar at Sarnath (about which you read in Chapter 6(NEW QUESTIONS AND IDEAS).

Ashoka was one of the greatest rulers known to history and on his instructions, inscriptions were inscribed on pillars, as well as on rock surfaces. Before we find out what was written in these inscriptions, let us see why his kingdom was called an empire.

The empire that Ashoka ruled was founded by his grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya, more than 2300 years ago. Chandragupta was supported by a wise man named Chanakya or Kautilya. Many of Chanakya’s ideas were written down in a book called the Arthashastra.

There were several cities in the empire (marked with black dots on the map). These included the capital Pataliputra, Taxila, and Ujjain. Taxila was a gateway to the northwest, including Central Asia, while Ujjain lay on the route from north to south India. Merchants, officials, and craftspersons probably lived in these cities.

In other areas, there were villages of farmers and herders. In some areas such as central India, there were forests where people gathered forest produce and hunted animals for food. People in different parts of the empire spoke different languages. They probably ate different kinds of food and wore different kinds of clothes as well.

How are empires different from kingdoms?

* Emperors need more resources than kings because empires are larger than kingdoms, and need to be protected by big armies.

* So also they need a larger number of officials who collect taxes.

More to know

When members of the same family become rulers one after another, the family is often called a dynasty. The Mauryas were a dynasty with three important rulers — Chandragupta, his son Bindusara, and Bindusara’s son, Ashoka.

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK

RULING THE EMPIRE

RULING THE EMPIRE

As the empire was so large, different parts were ruled differently. The area around Pataliputra was under the direct control of the emperor. This meant that officials were appointed to collect taxes from farmers, herders, craftspersons, and traders, who lived in villages and towns in the area. Officials also punished those who disobeyed the ruler’s orders. Many of these officials were given salaries. Messengers went to and fro and spies kept a watch on the officials. And of course, the emperor supervised them all, with the help of members of the royal family, and senior ministers.

There were other areas or provinces. Each of these was ruled from a provincial capital such as Taxila or Ujjain. Although there was some amount of control from Pataliputra, and royal princes were often sent as governors, local customs and rules were probably followed.

Besides, there were vast areas between these centers. Here the Mauryas tried to control roads and rivers, which were important for transport, and to collect whatever resources were available as tax and tribute. For example, the Arthashastra tells us that the north-west was important for blankets and south India for its gold and precious stones. It is possible that these resources were collected as a tribute.

There were also the forested regions. People living in these areas were more or less independent but may have been expected to provide elephants, timber, honey, and wax to Mauryan officials.

More to know

Unlike taxes, which were collected on a regular basis, tribute was collected as and when it was possible from people who gave a variety of things, more or less willingly.

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK

THE EMPEROR AND THE CAPITAL CITY

THE EMPEROR AND THE CAPITAL CITY

Megasthenes was an ambassador who was sent to the court of Chandragupta by the Greek ruler of West Asia named Seleucus Nicator.

Megasthenes wrote an account about what he saw. Here is a part of his description:

“The occasions on which the emperor appears in public are celebrated with grand royal processions. He is carried in a golden palanquin. His guards ride elephants decorated with gold and silver. Some of the guards carry trees on which live birds, including a flock of trained parrots, circle about the head of the emperor. The king is normally surrounded by armed women. He is afraid that someone may try to kill him. He has special servants to taste the food before he eats. He never sleeps in the same bedroom for two nights.”

And about Pataliputra (modern Patna) he wrote:

“This is a large and beautiful city. It is surrounded by a massive wall. It has 570 towers and 64 gates. The houses, of two and three storeys, are built of wood and mud brick. The king’s palace is also of wood and decorated with stone carvings. It is surrounded by gardens and enclosures for keeping birds.”

More to know

The Mauryan empire collapsed about 2200 years ago. In its place (and elsewhere) rose several new kingdoms. In the north-west, and in parts of north India, kings known as the Indo-Greeks ruled for about one hundred years.

They were followed by a Central Asian people known as the Shakas, who set up kingdoms in the north-west, north, and western India. Some of these kingdoms lasted for about 500 years, till the Shakas were defeated by the Gupta kings (Chapter 10(NEW EMPIRES AND KINGDOMS)).

Shakas in turn were followed by the Kushanas (about 2000 years ago). You will learn more about the Kushanas in Chapter 9(TRADERS, KINGS, AND PILGRIMS).

In the north, and in parts of central India, a general of the Mauryas, named Pushyamitra Shunga, set up a kingdom. The Shungas were followed by another dynasty, known as the Kanvas, and by rulers from other families till the establishment of the Gupta empire about 1700 years ago.

The Shakas who ruled over parts of western India fought several battles with the Satavahanas, who ruled over western and parts of central India. The Satavahana kingdom, which was established about 2100 years ago, lasted for about 400 years. Around 1700 years ago, a new ruling family, known as the Vakatakas, became powerful in central and western India.

In south India, the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas ruled between 2200 and 1800 years ago. And, about 1500 years ago, there were two large kingdoms, those of the Pallavas and the Chalukyas. There were several other kingdoms and kings as well. We know about them from their coins and inscriptions, as well as from books.

There were other changes that were taking place, in which ordinary men and women played a major role. These included the spread of agriculture and the growth of new towns, craft production, and trade. Traders explored land routes within the subcontinent and outside, and sea routes to West Asia, East Africa, and Southeast Asia were also opened up.

Chinese, Indian, Iranian, Arab, Greek, and Roman traders participated in these exchanges.

The ports along the coast of south India were important centers for the export of pepper and other spices.

And many new buildings were built — including the earliest temples and stupas, books were written, and scientific discoveries were made. These developments took place simultaneously, i.e. at the same time. Keep this in mind as you read the rest of the book.

Look at this finely polished stone sculpture. This was part of a Mauryan pillar found in Rampurwa, Bihar, and has now been placed in Rashtrapati Bhavan. It is an example of the skill of the sculptors of the time.

Most modern Indian scripts have developed from the Brahmi script over hundreds of years. Here you can see the letter ‘a’ written in different scripts.

More to know about China

Somewhat before the time of the Mauryan empire, about 2400 years ago, emperors in China began building the Great Wall.

It was meant to protect the northern frontier of the empire from pastoral people. Additions to the wall were made over a period of 2000 years because the frontiers of the empire kept shifting. The wall is about 6400 km long and is made of stone and brick, with a road along the top. Several thousand people worked to build the wall. There are watchtowers all along, at distances of about 100-200 m.

Activity:

1.Why do you think the king had special servants to taste the food he ate?

2.In what ways was Pataliputra different from Mohenjodaro? (hint: see Chapter 3 (IN THE EARLIEST CITIES))

3. Find Poduca (south India) on the map. This was the Roman name for Arikamedu (Chapter 8(VITAL VILLAGES, THRIVING TOWN)).

4. In what ways do you think Ashoka’s attitude toward neighbouring peoples was different from that of the Chinese emperors?

Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK