SUBJECT: HISTORY BOOK: THEMES IN HISTORY PART 2, NCERT THEME: 2 KINGS, FARMERS AND TOWNS The early States and Economics STUDY MATERIAL

SUBJECT: HISTORY

BOOK: THEMES IN HISTORY PART 2, NCERT

THEME: 2

 

KINGS, FARMERS AND TOWNS

The early States and Economics

STUDY MATERIAL

 

KEY CONCEPTS

INTRODUCTION

There were several developments in different parts of the subcontinent (India) during the long

the span of 1500 years following the end of Harappan Civilization:-

- Rigveda was composed along the Indus and its tributaries.

- Agricultural Settlements emerged in several parts of the subcontinent.

- Presence of pastoral populations in the Deccan and further South.

- A new mode of disposal of the dead like making Megaliths.

- Growth of new cities and kingdoms by 600 BCE.

600 BCE - MAJOR TURNING POINT IN EARLY INDIAN HISTORY

· Rise of early states and cities

· Growing use of iron, development of coinage

· Rise of Buddhism and Jainism

THE EARLIEST STATES (The sixteen mahajanpads)

· Early Buddhist & Jain texts mention the presence of 16 mahajanpads. Some of the most

important were Vajji, Magadh, Koshala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara, Avanti.

· Most mahajanpads were ruled by kings, some were oligarchies, where power was shared

by a number of men.

· Each mahajanpad had a capital city that was often fortified.

· Maintaining these fortified cities and providing for armies and bureaucracies required

resources. Rulers collected taxes and tribute from cultivators, traders, and artisans. Raids

on neighboring states were recognized as a legitimate means of acquiring wealth.

MAGADH – THE MOST POWERFUL MAHAJANPAD

· Highly productive agriculture.

 

· Presence of iron mines, provided resources for tools and weapons.

· Elephants, an important component of the army found in the forests.

· Ganga and its tributaries provided a cheap and convenient means of communication.

· Ruled by ruthlessly ambitious kings and ministers who helped implement their policies

· Strategic location of capital. Initial capital – Rajagaha- located amongst hills. Later capital

– Patliputra – along the Ganga, commanding routes of communication.

SOURCES TO RECONSTRUCT THE HISTORY OF MAURYAN EMPIRE

· Archaeological finds, especially sculpture

· Accounts of Megasthenese.

· Arthashastra written by Chanakya

· Later Buddhist, Jain and Puranic literature

· Inscriptions of Ashoka

MAURYAN ADMINISTRATION

· Five major political centers in the empire – Capital Patliputra& Provincial Centres –

Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali, Suvarngiri

· Administrative control strongest in areas around the capital & provincial centers.

· Centres carefully chosen. Taxila, Ujjayini – situated on important long-distance trade

routes. Suvarnagri – important for tapping the gold mines of Karnataka.

· Communication along both land and riverine routes was important for the empire. This

meant arranging for provisions and protection for those who were on the move.

· Army was an important means for providing protection. There was a committee with six

subcommittees for coordinating military activities.

· One looked after the navy, the second managed transport and provisions, third –

responsible for foot – soldiers, fourth – responsible for horses, fifth for chariots and sixth

for elephants.

· The second sub -the committee responsible for transport and provisions had to arrange for

- bullock carts to carry equipment

- procure food for soldiers and fodder for animals

- recruit servants and artisans to look after the soldiers.

· Ashoka tried to hold his empire together by propagating dhamma. Special officers,

dhammamahamatta were appointed to spread the message of dhamma.

 

NEW NOTIONS OF KINGSHIP

(A)CHIEFS AND KINGS IN THE SOUTH

 

· ByIn the post Mauryan period, India saw the rise of many states all over

Foreign powers, particularly the Sakas and the Kushanasalso took advantage and set

themselves firmly on the Indian soil.

· Both the Sakas and the Kushanas were nomadic people of Central Asian origin. They

established their kingdoms in the northwestern and western parts of the subcontinent.

· Another important dynasty in the post-Mauryan period worth mentioning is that of the

Satvahanas. They ruled over parts of western and central India i.e, the Deccan

· Their history has been reconstructed from Inscriptions, Coins, and sculptures which convey

a sense of the notions of kingship

· The kingdoms that emerged in the southern part of India, included the kingdoms of the

Cholas, Cheras and the Pandyas.

· Our source of knowledge about the southern kingdoms, of the Cholas, the Cheras and the

Pandyas is based on the Sangam literature composed in the Tamil language. As Tamil was the

chief language of these people, their land was called Tamilakam. It included present day

Tamilnadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala

(B)DIVINE KINGS

MEANS OF CLAIMING HIGH STATUS

The social origin of the Sakas, Kushanas and the Satvahanas was often obscure, not well

known or not easy to see or understand. But once they acquired power, they tried to claim

high social status in various ways.

· For example the Kushanas tried to identify themselves with a variety of deities. They got

huge statues of themselves made and installed. Such statues of Kushan rulers have been

found at a Mat near Mathura and in a shrine in Afghanistan.

· The coins issued by the Kushanas also carry their images with the images of gods on the

another side.

· Many Kushanas also adopted titles like ‘Devi Putra’ meaning ‘son of god’. Evidence of

such strategies adopted by the Kushanas, have made historians conclude that they

considered themselves godlike.