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Notes Kings Farmers and Towns
Notes Kings Farmers and Towns
Introduction
There were several changes in economic and political life between 600 BCE and 600 CE. The most important was the
emergence of early states, empires and kingdoms. There were other changes as well like growth in agricultural
production, emergence of new towns etc. Historians tried to understand these changes by using a variety of sources-
Inscriptions, texts coins etc. This is a complex process and sources do not tell the entire story.
Some developments during the long span of 1500 years following the end of Harappan Civilization
• There were several developments that took place in India during the long span of 1,500 years
following the end of Harappan civilization. They are:
➢ Rig-Veda was composed along the Indus and its tributaries
➢ Agricultural settlements emerged in many parts of the subcontinent.
➢ Emergence of new mode of disposal of the dead like Megaliths in central and south India.
➢ Emergence of new towns and kingdoms.
The Sixth century BCE was a turning point in early Indian history: Reasons
• The sixth century BCE is often regarded as a major turning point in early Indian history.
• This era is known for some crucial developments. They are:
➢ Increased use of iron
➢ Development of coinage
➢ Emergence of early states and cities
➢ Rise of new religions, namely, Jainism and Buddhism
Features of Mahajanapadas
➢ The sixth century BC is known for the rise of the sixteen Mahajanapadas.
➢ These states were either ruled by kings or Ganas (Sanghas)
➢ Each had its own capital often fortified.
➢ Some states maintained permanent standing armies recruited from the peasantry and regular bureaucracies.
➢ Dharma sutras laid down norms for kings and other people.
➢ Functions of the rulers were to collect taxes and tribute from people.
Historians have used variety of sources to reconstruct the history of the Mauryan Empire. They are:
Asoka’s Dhamma
➢ Asoka was the first ruler who inscribed his messages to his people on stone (rocks and pillars)
➢ He used the inscriptions to proclaim his principles of Dhamma.This included,
➢ Respect to elders
➢ Generosity towards Brahmanas and others sects
➢ Kindness to slaves and servants.
➢ Religious tolerance towards other religions
The mauryan king was the centre of the great administrative system .He enjoyed absolute power.
The vast empire was divided into number of provinces. The mauryans had a strong standing army
➢ There were five major political centres –Pataliputra,Taxila,Ujjaini,Tosali and Suvarnagiri to administer the vast
empire.
➢ These centres were situated on important long-distance trade routes. Communication along both land and
riverine routes was vital for the existence of empire.
➢ Megasthanese mentioned a committee with six sub committees was organized for coordinating military activity.
They looked after the navy, transport infantry, cavalry, chariots and elephants.
➢ The second committee was to arrange bullock carts to carry equipments procure food for soldiers and fodder for
animals and recruit servants and artisans to look after the soldiers
➢ By second century BCE, new chiefdoms and kingdoms emerged in several parts of the subcontinent.
➢ Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas in Tamilakam were known from Sangam texts.
➢ Several states including Satavahanas and Shakas took advantage from long distance trade.
➢ Kushans (C First century BCE to first century CE) ruled over a vast kingdom extending from central Asia to
North West India.
➢ Their history has been reconstructed from inscriptions, coins, and sculptures .The notions of kingship they
wanted to convey are well reflected in their coins and sculpture.
➢ Huge Statues of Kushan rulers have been found in U.P and Afghanistan. This indicates that the Kushans
considered themselves godlike. They claimed divine status and adopted the title devaputra,or ‘son of god’.
➢ History of the Guptas (4th century CE) has been reconstructed from literatures, coins and inscriptions including
prashastis (For e.g.The Prayaga Prashasti(Allahabad Pillar Inscription) composed by Harishena,the court poet of
Samudragupta.)
➢ What did subjects think about their rulers? Historians have tried to understand this by examining stories
contained in Jatakas(written in Pali) and Panchatantra.
➢ The jataka story indicates the strained relationship between kings and subjects. Kings demanded high taxes and
peasants opposed to this.
➢ With the increase in production, differences arose among people engaged in agriculture.
➢ Buddhist tradition refers to landless agricultural labourers, small peasants and large landlords.
➢ Landlords and heads of village were more powerful and had control over farmers
➢ Sangam texts mention large landowners or vellalar, ploughman or uzhavar and slaves or adimai.
➢ Thus, differences in rural society were based on control over land, labour and technologies.
➢ From c. sixth century BCE, urban centres emerged in different parts of the subcontinent.
➢ Majority of the towns such as Pataliputra, Ujjaini, Puhar, Mathura etc.were located along riverine or land routes.
➢ Votive Inscriptions give us an idea about town people.
➢ In the towns different types of people used to live such as washingfolk,weavers, scribes,
carpenters,potters,goldsmiths,blacksmiths,officials,religious teachers,merchants and kings.
➢ Artisans and traders organized themselves in guilds or shrenis.Guilds procured raw materials, regulated
production and marketed the finished product.
➢ Trade was not confined within the subcontinent but extended to East and North Africa and West Asia and to
Southeast Asia and China.
➢ India used to export spices, fine pearls, ivory, silk cloth, medicinal plants etc.
Decipherment of Inscriptions
➢ James Princep, an officer in the mint of the English East India Company was able to decipher Asokan Brahmi in
1838.
➢ The coins of indo –Greek kings contain the names of kings written in Greek and Kharoshti scripts.
➢ The European scholars compared the letters in both scripts. For e.g. the symbol for “a” could be found in both
scripts for writing names such as Appollodotus