Mauryan Empire

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Mauryan Empire (ca. 323–185 B.C.)

The Maurya Empire was among the most powerful in India during the third, second and first centuries B.C.E. This empire had three very well know emporors that ruled. One of the most well know being Ashoka,well know for his rock edicts, made an imprestion on the society, helping establish stronger Buddhist ideals into  this society.


Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the first great Indian empire. He came to power in 321 BC, having seized the throne from the Nandas, and he soon expanded the empire to include the Indus Valley previously conquered by Alexander. From its capital at Pataliputra (modern-day Patna), the Mauryan empire encompassed much of North India and reached as far south as modern-day Karnataka. The Mauryas were capable of securing control over such a vast realm through the use of an efficient bureaucracy, organised tiers of local government and a well-defined social order consisting of a rigid caste system.
The empire reached its peak under emperor Ashoka. Such was Ashoka’s power to lead and unite that after his death in 232 BC no-one could be found to hold the disparate elements of the Mauryan empire together. The empire rapidly disintegrated and collapsed altogether in 184 BC.
None of the empires that immediately followed could match the stability or enduring historical legacy of the Mauryans. The Sungas (184–70 BC), Kanvas (72–30 BC), Shakas (from 130 BC) and Kushanas (1st century BC until 1st century AD, and into the 3rd century in a diminished form) all had their turn, with the latter briefly ruling over a massive area of North India and Central Asia.

                                          Geography
This civilization resided in what is called the Punjab region. This empire stretched from the Ganges and Indus valley these being located adjacent to the Indus river (the river to the far northwest of the subcontinent) and The Ganges River (The river tot he far northeast starting in the Himalayas and dumping into the Bay of Bengal), all of India except for a few regions in the middle and the southern tip. The empire sat between the Arabian Sea and The Bay of Bengal, and dealt with an array of weather posed by India's geography, between temperamental monsoon weather in the southern part of India to the mild temperate weather in the northern region of India

Religion

The Mauryan empire being mostly influnced by Buddism, took on three major relgions in its existance. These conjured by the newly risen empire. Jainism, Buddism, and Hinduism being prevalent before and long after either relgion in India. Religion in India during the Mauryan empire would undergo many transformations and changes. Religion took a front seat in this culture. In the beginnings Jainism and Buddhism would make its way to India thank you to emperor Ashoka. This original thriving religion scene can be attributed to the founder and leader of the Mauryan Empire, Chandragupta Maurya. He rejuvenated religion in India, making a rise in followers , and put forth the manifestation of Jainism that would prove popular in India briefly. Although this is the case, Hindu Priest alike do not like this shift in religion. Even the royal court had objections to the progression of Jainism. Although this transformation was in progress in India, the successor of Chandragupta Maurya was a stanch follower of Hindu traditions and greatly opposed a move towards Jainism or Buddhism. Oppositely, Grandson of Ashoka supported Jainism and was accounted as the force behind erecting thousands of Jain temples, some of which can still be witnessed. Jainism was once even a point of circulation from India to other powerful empires like Persia and Greece. Although Jainism became a prominent part of the Mauryan culture, its strict rules and expectation eventually led to its miserable demise.

Hindu; Shiva

Buddhism

Hindu; Ganesha



 

Buddhist Symbol

Hindu; Ganesha

Buddhist Temple

Jainism Symbol


 

Hindu; Shiva

Arts
The Mauryan empire has been noted for its achievments in arts and architecture. Known for their many stupas that were built, which were dome structures eventually built for religious purposes.

Sanchi Stupa
These stupas were originally used as burial sites, often for kings and people of much importance. Becoming popular during the time of Buddha, these became religious symbols associated with Buddhism. Pillars also became a point of much renown in the time of Emporor Ashoka.
 PILLAR OF ASHOKA

 Pillar of Ashoka

Coinage with carvings of Buddhist wheel and Elephants of Mauryan Empire 
The Indian economy was by this time a settled agrarian economy. Animal rearing continued to be an important occupation. Industry and business also flourished . With the development of a strong empire, an organized system of taxation began to evolve. With agriculture being the backbone of the economy it was quickly realized that land revenue was going to be a major source of income from the government. Land was subjected to regular assessments to determine its production capability, and an appropriate level of tax was levied. Industries and enterprises were also taxed, using a vast mix of techniques, all of which were derived from the original land revenue tax system. This entire system was the brainchild of Kautalya, the prime minister of Chandragupta Maurya. With the development of a taxation system, the government now had money to further develop the kingdom. For instance in the field of agriculture, great advancements were made. Irrigation became an important part of Indian agriculture. A governor of Chandragupta Maurya built a dam across the river Girnar, creating a large lake which supplied water to the surrounding region. Records indicate that the dam was maintained for almost eight hundred years after it was built. The setting up of irrigation projects brought up an interesting situation, although it was the responsibility of the government to develop such projects, the development gave the government more control over an agrarian economy. The government also introduced the concept of state owned farms where the king owned the land and his subjects were employed for its cultivation. This became especially prevalent when new areas like waste land and forest land were brought under cultivation. The government had the resources to organize the procedure and once the land was ready it would employ the cultivator to work on the land. The crops were used to sustain the population that worked on it and the surplus was taken by the government. This policy of the government eased the problem of overpopulation, it would consistently create new areas and send people there to establish new settlements. People generally found the option to relocate attractive as it often made economic sense to do so.
The existence of a stable centralized government, and the unity of the sub-continent that it created resulted in the rapid development of industry. Trade received a major boost as did various craft guilds. Able administration ensured that trade became easier, and the guilds soon developed into small scale industries. The development of guilds was an important step. Guilds were large organizations which employed labour for the particular commodity that they were producing. Over time such employment became hereditary with consecutive generations continuing in the same guild. Artisans willingly joined the guilds for it provided steady employment and was easier than to work alone and to compete against them. The government also found the guilds convenient, for besides organizing and developing industry they also made the process of tax collection and administration easier.
The Maurayan economy was fairly developed for its time. For instance all manufactured goods came stamped with a date, which would then be used by consumers to determine the age of the product. The sale of merchandise was strictly regulated. Prices were monitored to ensure that a merchant was not making too great a profit. A trade superintendent did a careful evaluation of the product, the price, the demand and supply situation as well as the production cost. He would then fix a value for the commodity. On one fifth of this value would be charged a toll, and a further one fifth tax was charged on the toll. Tax evasion did take place, but was heavily punished. There was no formal banking system, however the concept of lending money did exist, and the rate of interest is estimated to have been about 15% per year. For loans in riskier sectors like sea travel the rates were much higher often touching extremely high rates.
The Mauryas had developed extensive trade relations and dealt with several countries like Syria and Egypt in addition to several others in the West. There were many foreign traders who took up residence in Mauryan cities, so much so that there was a separate committee to look after them. There were a variety of goods being exported and imported. The Mauryan kings used to import wines, figs, clothes and beautiful vessels made out of silver. The Mauryan exports were chiefly items of luxury like fine muslin cloth. The development of trade soon became profitable for the empire and eventually a separate department looked after trade and commerce and ensured that a transparent system was put in place. Standard weights and measures were used and all goods bore the official stamp. Towards the later Mauryan period sea trade began to take place, and there is an interesting story behind it.
The early Mauryans were courageous and brave adventurers and during the reign of Eurgetes II (15BC-116BC), a Greek ruler who controlled the areas in the Arabian Gulf, a ship from India was stopped by the coast guard of that kingdom. It had a lone occupant who was half dead. He spoke a strange tongue which they could not understand. He was nursed back to health and taught Greek. He then narrated how he and a group of companions had started off from India, but had lost their course. His companions perished from hunger, and he managed to reach there (Egypt) alone. He proposed a plan by which if they agreed to let him return to his country he would show them the route they could take to reach India by sea. The Greek king sent Eudoxus of Cyzicus along with him. Eudoxus brought back with him many goods like precious stones. There is also another account of how some Indian navigators were blown by storms and eventually reached Germany. It is often said that some of the greatest inventions were accidents, similarly through a series of ventures and a few lucky accidents various sea routes were discovered and sea trade began to take place. The Mauryans soon built ships and hired them out for trade to merchants.
production cost. He would then fix a value for the commodity. On one fifth of this value would be charged a toll, and a further one fifth tax was charged on the toll. Tax evasion did take place, but was heavily punished. There was no formal banking system, however the concept of lending money did exist, and the rate of interest is estimated to have been about 15% per year. For loans in riskier sectors like sea travel the rates were much higher often touching extremely high rates. The Mauryas had developed extensive trade relations and dealt with several countries like Syria and Egypt in addition to several others in the West. There were many foreign traders who took up residence in Mauryan cities, so much so that there was a separate committee to look after them. There were a variety of goods being exported and imported. The Mauryan kings used to import wines, figs, clothes and beautiful vessels made out of silver. The Mauryan exports were chiefly items of luxury like fine muslin cloth. The development of trade soon became profitable for the empire and eventually a separate department looked after trade and commerce and ensured that a transparent system was put in place. Standard weights and measures were used and all goods bore the official stamp. Towards the later Mauryan period sea trade began to take place, and there is an interesting story behind it.
The early Mauryans were courageous and brave adventurers and during the reign of Eurgetes II (15BC-116BC), a Greek ruler who controlled the areas in the Arabian Gulf, a ship from India was stopped by the coast guard of that kingdom. It had a lone occupant who was half dead. He spoke a strange tongue which they could not understand. He was nursed back to health and taught Greek. He then narrated how he and a group of companions had started off from India, but had lost their course. His companions perished from hunger, and he managed to reach there (Egypt) alone. He proposed a plan by which if they agreed to let him return to his country he would show them the route they could take to reach India by sea. The Greek king sent Eudoxus of Cyzicus along with him. Eudoxus brought back with him many goods like precious stones. There is also another account of how some Indian navigators were blown by storms and eventually reached Germany. It is often said that some of the greatest inventions were accidents, similarly through a series of ventures and a few lucky accidents various sea routes were discovered and sea trade began to take place. The Mauryans soon built ships and hired them out for trade to merchants.

 Sculptures from the Mauryan Empire

Emperor Ashoka
The expansion of two kingdoms in the northeast laid the groundwork for the emergence of India's first empire, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty (ca. 321–185 B.C.). According to the writings of the Greek diplomat Megasthenes, Pataliputra, the capital—surrounded by a wooden wall pierced by 64 gates and 570 towers—rivaled the splendors of contemporaneous Persian sites such as Susa and Ecbatana. By 303 B.C., Chandragupta Maurya (known to the Greeks as Sandracotta) had gained control of an immense area ranging from Bengal in the east to Afghanistan in the west and as far south as the Narmada River. Much of his success is attributed to his prime minister and mentor, Kautilya (also known as Chanakya), author of the Arthashastra, a cold-blooded treatise on the acquisition and maintenance of power. His son, Bindusara, extended the empire into central and parts of southern India. The third Mauryan emperor, Ashoka (r. ca. 273–232 B.C.), is one of the most famous rulers in Indian history. His conversion to and support of Buddhism is often likened to the impact of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great's acceptance of Christianity in 313 A.D. Beginning in 254 B.C., Ashoka had monumental edicts on Buddhism carved into rocks and caves throughout his empire. One records his sending of religious envoys—with no apparent results—to the Greek rulers of Syria, Egypt, Macedonia, Cyrene, and Epirus. Thirteen years later, he issued seven additional edicts carved into strategically placed polished sandstone pillars. One of the best preserved, at Lauriya Nandagarh in Bihar, stands thirty-two feet high and is capped by a seated lion. Ashoka is also credited with building 84,000 stupas to enshrine the relics of the Buddha and commemorate key events in the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism.

Pillar of Ashoka

Broken piece of Ring stone form Mauryan Empire

Ring stone from Mauryan Empire

Politics

The Mauryas have the unique distinction of creating India's first empire, an empire they administered with remarkable organization and efficiency. The center of power in the Mauryan system was the king. The priest was also steadily increasing in political power, and essentially became a chief minister, with his religious duties remaining in the background. There as also a council of ministers, and the king was expected to consult them before taking decisions. However, the importance they had in decision making varied from king to king, the great Mauryan king Ashoka is known to have frequently consulted his ministers, and they were also empowered to take decisions in his absence. The Mauryan system was divided into various administrative departments that looked after various duties. Each department had its own hierarchical management structure. There were a series of superintendents who had a number of subordinate officers under them. In the Mauryan setup, the central administration looked after two key offices, of the Treasurer and the Chief Collector. The Treasurers duties was to manage the states income, he was responsible for keeping the accounts and storing of the income The Chief collector who had a number of clerks to assist him, was responsible for keeping track of the various taxes that were pouring in from all corners of the vast empire. This was a complex task but was very well managed, the accounts of every department were systematically kept. The relevant ministers were then responsible for presenting the accounts to the king. The system was designed to reduce fraud and embezzlement. The Mauryan administration spent a substantial one fourth of the national income in public works development and salaries of the large staff that were required to manage the administration. The important ministers were paid very well and this was a drain on the treasury. The Mauryans were able and just rulers, who paid attention to the important area of public works development. Public woks spanned a variety of activities, like the construction and maintenance of roads, irrigation projects, rest houses. The maintenance of the army was also an important task, as was the running of the various state mines and industries. The king also sent grants to various institutions and individuals. The empire's rural areas were divided into four main provinces. A member of the royal family was put in charge of each province, with the official status of a Viceroy. Every five years an auditing commission would visit the provinces and do a check on the administration. There was a further division of the province into districts and then into groups of villages and the final unit of administration was at the village. This is a system which has continued for centuries till present day India, which has the Panchayati Raj system. A block of villages had two main officers, one an accountant and the other was the tax collector. The accountant was responsible for keeping a population census, maintaining the boundaries and keeping a record of items like livestock. The tax collector was there to ensure that the collection of tax took place properly. The individual villages also had their own headmen, who were responsible to the two officers mentioned earlier. Urban administration was handled separately. It had its own collection of officers. At the top was the city superintendent who was responsible for maintaining law and order as well as the general upkeep of the city. Cities in the Mauryan empire were made of wood and hence it was essential to maintain proper fire safety measures. The city superintendent had two officers to assist him, the accountant and the tax collector, both performing similar roles that the ones in the villages did. They were assisted by a further group of thirty officers, who were divided into committees of five. Each committee had its own set of responsibilities and they looked after various aspects and issues that concerned the cities. Another key aspect of the Mauryan system was the use of intelligence information. The Mauryan kings posted spies throughout their kingdom, these spies would assume the roles of ordinary people in various professions. This was an essential tool in governing such a vast empire, as the king was able to gauge public opinion and get information on possible outside attacks. For an empire of its size, such a system was vital to ensure that a king at the center could hold influence throughout his empire. nd the tax collector, both performing similar roles that the ones in the villages did. They were assisted by a further group of thirty officers, who were divided into committees of five. Each committee had its own set of responsibilities and they looked after various aspects and issues that concerned the cities. Another key aspect of the Mauryan system was the use of intelligence information. The Mauryan kings posted spies throughout their kingdom, these spies would assume the roles of ordinary people in various professions. This was an essential tool in governing such a vast empire, as the king was able to gauge public opinion and get information on possible outside attack

Megasthenes, the Seleucid ambassador at the Mauryan court talks about the existence of seven main castes in Mauryan society. He mentions them as philosophers, farmers, soldiers, herdsmen, artisans and magistrates. He has however appeared to have confused caste with occupation, as is evident with the 'castes' that he has mentioned above. Based on his accounts we are able to draw a clearer picture of the caste system prevailing at that time. The philosophers in all probability were the brahmans , the Buddhist monks and the followers of new religious sects. Apparently this caste was exempt from taxation. The farmers were probably the shudras who cultivated and worked on the land. The soldiers were probably kshatriyas but they may also have constituted a unique economic class of their own. The Mauryan army was huge and hence this was a large and influential caste. As for the herdsmen they were also probably shudras . As for the artisans their caste would depend on the type of work they were engaging in, as also their economic status. Magistrates and councillors being a part of the administration were probably either the brahmans or the kshatriyas .
During this time the caste system was going through a bit of an upheaval as economic realities were beginning to challenge age old convictions. For instance over time the vaishyas who were technically a part of the upper caste were not getting due respect and were being treated as lower by the first two castes. However, the vaishyas had done extremely well and were economically very well off. This began to cause conflict as they believed they deserved a higher status. The development of the trade and manufacturing guilds in urban areas also added a new dimension to the caste system, the Guild leaders considered themselves important for they controlled vital business interests. They too wished to be admitted into the higher social strata of society. Thus there appears to have been a conflict between the socially higher castes and the economically powerful castes.
Slavery in India was beginning to make its appearance, although there are contradictory accounts on whether it was there or not. However, the Indian system of slavery was very different from its contemporaries. The slavery that developed can best be described as a sort of flexible voluntary slavery. A person usually became a slave if he decided to sell himself, was a prisoner of war or was serving a judicial sentence. The slave was free at anytime to buy back his freedom. Once a slave was free, if he was an Aryan he could go back to the status he earlier had in the society, retaining his caste etc. At that time issues like slavery or the degree of their freedom was not so significant, the deciding factor was the caste of the person.
The people of the time had a variety of ways of entertaining themselves. Dancing, singing and music were very popular and there appear to have been many festivals where the people would enjoy the carnival like atmosphere. Wrestling was also popular and wrestlers from all parts of the empire would compete against each other. There also appears to have been wrestling between man and animal, and there is mention of wrestling matches between men and elephants. Theatre also existed, and a variety of plays were performed. Gambling remained a popular game as well. There also seemed to be the proto-type of a game that would later evolve into what is today known as chess. It appears to have got more and more popular with time.
Megasthenes, the Seleucid ambassador at the Mauryan court talks about the existence of seven main castes in Mauryan society. He mentions them as philosophers, farmers, soldiers, herdsmen, artisans and magistrates. He has however appeared to have confused caste with occupation, as is evident with the 'castes' that he has mentioned above. Based on his accounts we are able to draw a clearer picture of the caste system prevailing at that time. The philosophers in all probability were the brahmans , the Buddhist monks and the followers of new religious sects. Apparently this caste was exempt from taxation. The farmers were probably the shudras who cultivated and worked on the land. The soldiers were probably kshatriyas but they may also have constituted a unique economic class of their own. The Mauryan army was huge and hence this was a large and influential caste. As for the herdsmen they were also probably shudras . As for the artisans their caste would depend on the type of work they were engaging in, as also their economic status. Magistrates and councillors being a part of the administration were probably either the brahmans or the kshatriyas .
During this time the caste system was going through a bit of an upheaval as economic realities were beginning to challenge age old convictions. For instance over time the vaishyas who were technically a part of the upper caste were not getting due respect and were being treated as lower by the first two castes. However, the vaishyas had done extremely well and were economically very well off. This began to cause conflict as they believed they deserved a higher status. The development of the trade and manufacturing guilds in urban areas also added a new dimension to the caste system, the Guild leaders considered themselves important for they controlled vital business interests. They too wished to be admitted into the higher social strata of society. Thus there appears to have been a conflict between the socially higher castes and the economically powerful castes.
Slavery in India was beginning to make its appearance, although there are contradictory accounts on whether it was there or not. However, the Indian system of slavery was very different from its contemporaries. The slavery that developed can best be described as a sort of flexible voluntary slavery. A person usually became a slave if he decided to sell himself, was a prisoner of war or was serving a judicial sentence. The slave was free at anytime to buy back his freedom. Once a slave was free, if he was an Aryan he could go back to the status he earlier had in the society, retaining his caste etc. At that time issues like slavery or the degree of their freedom was not so significant, the deciding factor was the caste of the person.