The Maurya Empire (322 BC - 183 BC) was an Iron Age power
in ancient India ruled by the Maurya Dynasty. With its origins in the Magadha
kingdom, it was one of the world's largest empires in its time and the largest
ever in the Indian subcontinent. The Maurya Empire was known for a consistent
and effective system of administration and finance that allowed for a thriving
economy. The
Maurya Dynasty (322–183 BC),
with no known royal pedigree, established a vast empire, the first of its kind
in the ancient South Asian subcontinent. The empire was obviously carved out by
a sustained policy of aggressive expansion during the reigns of its first three
rulers, Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, and Asoka. Nearly pan‐Indian in extent, the empire
was administered by a large number of functionaries, known largely from the
Greek accounts, the Arthasastra and inscriptions of Asoka. Recent
historiography questions the traditional view of the Mauryan Empire as a
unitary state, but presents a more nuanced view of the complexities of state
and imperial formations in which the ideology of Dhamma (employed by Asoka)
played a crucial role. The empire witnessed the first advent of written records
and stone sculpting in Indian history.
In the political history of early India the Maurya Dynasty
has a pre‐eminent
position since it established the earliest and largest empire, that lasted,
although, for a relatively brief period of about 140 years. The immense power
of the dynasty is best seen during the reigns of the first three rulers,
Chandragupta Maurya (322 BC-297 BC), Bindusara (297 BC-273 BC) and Asoka (269
BC-232 BC). The sustained interests in the study of the Maurya Empire are
ensured by the availability of diverse sources, mostly contemporary.
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| Mauryan Statuettes |
CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA (322 BC-297 BC)
The
founding father of the Mauryan empire was Chandragupta Maurya.
In
305 BC Chandragupta defeated Seleucus Nicator (the Greek ambassador) who
surrendered a big territorial part to him,including Kabul.
Afghanistan,Baluchistan and Herat also received a Greek ambassador i.e., Megasthenese
sent by Seleucus (wrote Indica having the description of Mauryan
administration,society etc.)
Chandragupta
adopted Jainism and went to Sravanabelagola with Bhadrabahu where he died by
starvation (Sale Khan) at Chandigiri Hill.
BINDUSARA (297 BC-273 BC)
The
son and successor of Chandragupta Maurya.
Called
Amitraghat by Greek writers.i.e., slayers of foes.
Further
extended the kingdom.
He
asked Antiochus-I of Syria to send some sweet wine,dried figs and a
sophist.Except sophist,he sent all.
He
is said to have conquered 'the land between the two seas',i.e., the Arabian Sea
and the Bay of Bengal.At the time of his death,almost the entire subcontinent
came under the Maurya rule.Greek Ambassador, Daimachus visited the court,sent
by Antiochus.
ASHOKA (269 BC-232 BC)
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| Emperor Ashoka with his Queen |
The
son and successor of Bindusara.It is said that he became the king by killing
his 99 brothers.
When
he became the king. Radhagupta a minister of Bindusara, also helped him.
Under
Ashoka,the empire reached its zenith. And in the history, for the first
time,the entire Indian sub-continent came under a single umbrella (except
extreme Southern India).
He
fought a battle known as Kalinga in 261 BC in the 8th year of his coronation,in
which lakh people died.
Ashoka
sent peace missionaries inside India as well as abroad.
INSCRIPTIONS OF ASHOKA
Major
Rock Edicts
Total
14 found at 8 places.Inscriptions are found in 4 scripts Brahmi,Kharoshti,Greek
and Aramaik.
> Minor edict 17,Pillar Edicts 12
> The third Buddhist council was held during his reign.
> He appointed Dhamm Mahamantra for moral and material welfare of the public.
> He constructed Sanchi Stupa at Vidisha (HP).
> Foreign visitor Dionisius visited his court.
> Maurya empire declined in 187 BC.
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| Mauryan coin and seals |
FACTS ABOUT MAURYANS
According
to Megasthenese,the administration of the army was carried by a board of 30
officers divided into six committees,each consisting of 5 members.They were
(1).Army
(2).Cavalry
(3).Elephants
(4).Chariot
(5) Navy
(6) Transport.
Though
Megasthenese said that there was no slavery in India,yet according to the
Indian sources,slavery was a recognized institution during Mauryans reign.
Tamralipti
in the Gangetic delta was the most prosperous post on the East coast of India.
Megasthenese
in his Indica has mentioned 7 castes in the Mauryan society.
Maski,Gujara,Nittur
and Odegolan edicts mention the name Ashoka.
Ashokan
edicts were deciphered by James Princep in 1937.
In
the edicts,Ashoka generally refers to himself by the title Devanampiya
Priyadarshi.
The
longest among the major rock edicts is the 13th rock edict.In this edict, the
war of Kalinga has been described.
The
Allahabad pillars contain the inscriptions of Samundragupta and Jahangir also.
PAST MAURYAN INVADERS
The Indo-Greeks
A
number of invasions took place around 200 BC.The first to invade India were the
Greeks,who were also called the Indo-Greeks or Bactrian Greeks (as they ruled
Bactria).
The
most famous Indo-Greek ruler was Minander (165 BC-145 BC),also known as Milind.
He had his capital at Sankala (Modern Sialkot) in Punjab.
He
was converted to Buddhism by Nagasena or Nagarjuna (described in Milindapanho
or The Question of Milinda).
The
Greeks were the first to issue gold coins in India.
The Shakas or Scythians (90 BC)
The
Greeks were followed by the Shakas,who controlled a larger part of India than
the Greek did.
There
were 5 branches of the Shakas with their seats of power in different parts of
India and Afghanistan.
A
king of Ujjain,who called himself Vikramaditya defeated Shakas in 58 BC and started
Vikrama Samvat.
The
most famous Shaka ruler in India was Rudradaman (AD 130-AD 150).He is famous
for the repairs of Sudrashana lake in Kathiawar.His inscription was the
Junagarh inscription.
The Parthiians/Pahalvas (1st BC-AD1st)
Originally,they
lived in Iran,invaded at the beginning of Christian era,from where they moved
to India.In comparison to Greeks and Shakas,they occupied only a small portion
in North-West India in the first century.
The
most famous Parthian King was Gondophernes (AD 19-45),in whose reign St Thomas
is said to have come to India for the propagation of Christianity.
The Kushans (AD 45)
Came
from North Central Asia near China.Their empire included a good part of Central
Asia,a portion of Iran,a portion of Afghanistan,Pakistan and almost the whole
of North India.
Kanishka
was the most famous king.He patronized the following persons.
Ashwaghosha
(wrote 'Buddhacharita', which is the biography of Buddha and 'Sutralankar')
Nagarjuna (wrote 'Madhyamik Sutra').
Vasumitra
Charak (a physician,wrote 'Sasurta').
Kanishka
was the most famous Kushan ruler.He is known in history because of 2 reasons
(a)
He started an era in AD 78,which is now known as Saka era and is used by the
Government of India.
(b)
He extended his whole-hearted patronage to Buddhism (held a Buddhist Council in
Kashmir).
Some
of the successors of Kanishka bore typical Indian names as Vasudeva.
KINGDOMS AFTER THE MAURYAS
The Shunga Dynasty (185 BC-73 BC)
Pushyamitra
founded this dynasty.His dominions extended to South as far as the Narmada
river and included the cities of Patliputra,Ayodhya and Vidisha.
The
fifth king was Bhagabhadra,to whose court Heliodoros,the Greek ambassador
visited.
A
Shunga king,Agnimitra was the hero of Kalidasa's Malavikagnimitram.
This
period saw the revival of Bhagnatism.
Patanjali's
classic Mahabhashya was written at this time.
Pushyamitra
defeated the Bactrian,Dematrius.
Last
ruler-Devabhuti.
The Kanva Dynasty (73 BC-28 BC)
The
founder of this short-lived dynasty was Vasudeva,who killed the last Sunga king
Devabhuti.
They
were swept away by Satavahanas of the Deccan.
The Satavahanas (60 BC-AD 225)
Founder-Sheemukh.
They
were the successors of the Mauryans in the Deccan and the Central India.
Important
king was Gautamiputra Satakarni (AD 106-AD 130) who raised the power and the
prestige of Satavahanas to greater heights.He set up his capital at Paithan on the
bank of the river Godavari in Aurangabad district.
1st
evidence of land grants to Brahmins was found (started by Satvahanas).
Satavahanas
built Nagarjunakonda Stupa and Amaravati Stupa.
IMPORTANT ASPECTS
Mostly
issued lead coins (apart from copper and bronze).
Acted
as a bridge between the North and the South India.
Satavahana
rulers called themselves Brahmins. Performed vedic rituals and worshipped Gods
like Krishna, Vasudeva and others.However,they also promoted Buddhism by
granting land to the monks.
The
2 common religious constructions were the Buddhist temple that was called
'Chaitya' and the monastries,which was called 'Vihara'. The most famous Chaitya
is that of Karle in West Deccan,others were Nasik and Kanheri.
Amravati
and Nagarjunakonda were the famous stupas built in the period of Satvahanas.
Their
district was called 'Ahara', as it was in Ashoka's time.
Their
officials were known as 'Amayas' and 'Mahamatras', as they were known in
Mauryan times.
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