TNSCERT 6 HISTORY UNIT 7

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7. FROM CHIEFDOMS TO EMPIRES


  • 6th century BCE - many territorial states emerged which led to the transformation of socio-economic and political life of the people

    •   ROLE OF IRON IN A CHANGING SOCIETY

  • use of iron ploughshares improved agricultural productivity
  • Agrarian surplus and increase in craft products resulted in the emergence of trading and exchange centres
  • knowledge in the use of iron gave Magadha an advantage over other Mahajanapadas

    •   GANA - SANGHAS AND KINGDOMS
    • Gana-Sanghas - [gana - people of equal status, sangha - assembly] non monarchial states ruled by an elite group, practiced egalitarian traditions
    • Kingdoms - [territory ruled by king or queen]  monarchial state, adhered to orthodox vedic traditions
      JANAPADAS 
    • earliest gathering places, smaller kingdoms
      MAHAJANAPADAS
    •  wide-spread use of iron helped in formation of large territorial units

       SIXTEEN MAHAJANAPADAS
    • Anga, Magadha, Vajji, Malla, Kasi, Kuru, Kosala, Avanti, Chedi, Vatsa, Panchala, Machcha, Surasena, Assaka, Gandhara and Kamboja
    • transition from a semi - nomadic kinship based society to an agrarian society with networks of trade and exchange
       FOUR MAJOR MAHAJANAPADAS
    • Magadha in Bihar
    • Avanti in Ujjain
    • Kosala in Eastern Uttar Pradesh 
    • Vatsa in Kausambi, Allahabad
       THE CAUSES FOR THE RISE OF MAGADHA
    • fertile lower ganga plain (regular income), thick forests(timber and elephants), iron weapons, people settlements and growth of trade
    • all these resulted in urbanization and emergence of Magadha as an empire
       DYNASTIES OF ANCIENT MAGADHA
    • The Haryanka dynasty
    • The Shishunaga dynasty
    • The Nanda dynasty
    • The Maurya dynasty
       HARYANKA DYNASTY
    • Magadha’s political supremacy began with Bimbisara of Haryanka dynasty
    • He extended by conquests and by matrimonial alliances with Lichchhavis, Madra and Kosala. 
    • His son Ajatasatru, a contemporary of Buddha, convened the first Buddhist Council at Rajagriha
    • Udayin, the successor of Ajatasatru, laid the foundation of the new capital at Pataliputra.
       SHISHUNAGA DYNASTY
      • Kalasoka shifted the capital from Rajagriha to Pataliputra. 
      • He convened the second Buddhist Council at Vaishali
         NANDA DYNASTY
      • first empire builders
      • Mahapadma Nanda (first Nanda ruler) was succeeded by his eight sons
      • known as Navanandas (nine Nandas)
      • Dhana Nanda, the last Nanda ruler, was overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya

       MAURYAN EMPIRE
                          
      • Megasthenese - ambassador of Greek ruler, Seleucus, wrote a book named Indica (served as sources for the study of Mauryan empire)
         CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA
      • first largest empire
      • Chandragupta performed Jaina rituals(Sallekhana - fasts upto his death) in Sravanbelgola 
         BINDUSARA 
      • Simhasena - real name, son of Chandragupta Maurya
      • called as 'Amitragatha' (slayer of enemies)
      • Mauryan empire spread over large parts of India
         ASHOKA
      • Known as 'Devanam Piya' (beloved of the Gods)
      • fought and won Kalinga war in 261 BCE 
      • Rock edict XIII - he described the horror of the war
      • Lion Capital of Ashoka - Indian Emblem, taken from Ashoka's pillars at Sarnath


         CHANDASOKA (ASHOKA, THE WICKED) TO DHAMMASOKA (ASHOKA, THE RIGHTEOUS)
      • Ashoka became Buddhist, undertook tours (Dharmayatras) 
      • To spread the policy of Dhamma, he appointed officials (Dhamma- mahamattas)
      • Meaning of Dhamma - explained in Ashoka's pillar edict II
      • Ashoka sent his son Mahinda and Sanghamitta to Srilanka to propagate Buddhism
      • Ashoka held the third Buddhist Council at his capital Pataliputra
        EDICTS OF ASHOKA
      • Edict - official proclamation issued by authority / king
      • 33 edicts of Ashoka - describe Ashoka’s belief in peace, righteousness, justice and his concern for the welfare of his people
      • Rock edicts II and XIII - refers to names of Pandyas, Cholas, the Keralaputras and the Sathyaputras
        MAURYAN ADMINISTRATION
      • king - supreme, sovereign authority 
      • council of ministers - mantriparishad
      • excellent spy system
        REVENUE SYSTEM
      • Land - important revenue source
      • Ashokan inscription at Lumbini - mentions bali and bagha (1/6 of the total produce) as taxes collected from people
      • Other revenue from taxes on forests, mines, salt and irrigation
      • State revenue was spent on paying the army, the officials of the royal government, on charities and on different public works
        JUDICIAL SYSTEM
      • king - the head of the Judiciary
      • punishments were harsh
        MILITARY ADMINISTRATION
        • King - supreme commander
        • A board divided into six committees with five members on each, monitored
        1. Navy
        2. Armoury (transport and supply)
        3. Infantry
        4. Cavalry
        5. The war chariots
        6. The war elephants
            MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION
          • six committees to manage the administration of the city
          • Town administration was under Nagarika
          • He was assisted by Sthanika and Gopa
          • Sudarshana Lake - construction begun during time of Chandragupta Maurya and completed during Ashoka’s reign [Reference - The Junagarh / Girnar Inscription of Rudradaman]
              CURRENCY
          • punch marked silver coins (panas) which carry the symbols of the peacock, and the hill and crescent copper coins called Mashakas formed the imperial currency
              TRADE AND URBANIZATION
          • Trade flourished particularly with Greece (Hellenic) Malaya, Ceylon and Burma.
          • The Arthasastra refers to the regions producing specialized textiles – Kasi (Benares), Vanga(Bengal), Kamarupa (Assam) and Madurai in Tamilnadu
              MAURYAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE
          • Indigenous Art – Statues of Yakshas and Yakshis (deities connected with water, fertility, the forest and widerness)
          • Royal Art – Palaces and Public buildings
          1. Monolithic Pillars
          2. Rock cut Architecture
          3. Stupas
             MONOLITHIC PILLAR - SARNATH
          • crowning element in pillar - Dharma chakra
            BEGINNING OF ROCK CUT ARCHITECTURE
          • There are several caves to the north of Bodh Gaya
          • Three caves in Barabar hills (Lomas Rishi cave) have dedicative inscription of Ashoka. 
          • And three in Nagarjuna hills have inscriptions of Dasharatha Maurya (grand son of Ashoka)
              STUPAS 
          • semi-spherical dome like structure (brick/stone), Buddha's relics at centre
              REASONS FOR THE DECLINE OF THE MAURYAN EMPIRE
          • Ashoka’s successors were very weak
          • Continuous revolts and Bactrian Greeks Invasion weakened the empire.
          • Brihadratha (last Maurya ruler) was killed by his commander Pushyamitra Sungha who established Sungha dynasty
             ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD
          • The Great Wall of China (third century BCE) -Emperor Qin-Shi Huang linked these walls on Northern border to protect his empire
          • Temple of Zeus at Olympia, Greece (fifth century BCE) - dedicated to the god Zeus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world


            






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