What are the sources of study of the Mauryan empire?

What are the sources of study of the Mauryan empire?

The Arthashastra, Megasthenes’s Indica, the Milindapanho, the Puranas, the Mudrarakshasa, the Mahavamsa and the Jaina Parishishthaparvan are considered to be the most important literary sources of Mauryan history and chronology.

What are the main sources of information for the Mauryan period?

The main sources of information on the Mauryan rule are edicts of Ashoka (14 rock edicts, seven pillar edicts, and minor rock edicts), Sanchi Stupa, Nandangarh pillar, ‘Indika’ by Megasthenes, ‘Arthashastra’ of Kautilyaand Visakhadutta’s ‘Mudrarakshasa’ etc.

Which book was the source of India during the Maurya period?

The Arthashastra and the Edicts of Ashoka are the primary sources of written records of Mauryan times. The Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath is the national emblem of the Republic of India.

Which source is more important for reconstruction of Mauryan history?

distributed in the Mauryan Empire, are the main sources to know about Mauryan art and architecture. Visakadatta, the Puranas, the Buddhist and Jain literature, the edicts of Ashoka and the Mauryan Monuments and coins are the invaluable sources for a reconstruction of history of the Mauryan Age.

What was the main source of income of Mauryan empire?

The mainstay of the economy under the Mauryas was agriculture, though trade was becoming increasingly more important. It would seem that cultivators formed a majority of the population and taxes on agriculture were the main source of revenue.

Who wrote arthashastra what is its important?

Arthashastra

What are the sources from which we get information about Ashoka?

Sources of information. Information about Ashoka comes from his own inscriptions; other inscriptions that mention him or are possibly from his reign; and ancient literature, especially Buddhist texts. These sources often contradict each other, although various historians have attempted to correlate their testimony.

Is Gupta and Maurya dynasty same?

The difference between Mauryan and Gupta Empires is that the Mauryan empire was in power before Christ, whereas the Gupta empire came into power after Christ. Mauryan empire was comparatively larger and had a centralized administration. While the Gupta empire was smaller and had a decentralized administration.

Who sent Megasthenes to India?

Megasthenes, (born c. 350 bc—died c. 290), ancient Greek historian and diplomat, author of an account of India, the Indica, in four books. An Ionian, he was sent by the Hellenistic king Seleucus I on embassies to the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta.

What are the two major source of information about the Mauryas?

The two main sources of information on the Mauryan period are Indika by Megasthenes and Arthashastra by Chanakya (also known as Kautilya).

Who was Sitadhyaksha?

Sitadhyaksha was the chief of the Agriculture department. There was full-fledged irrigation department as well. There was a network of canals which provided the water for irrigation as per the measurements of the land i.e. requirements.

Who was Sannidhata role?

Notes: As per the Arthashastra of Chankya, there were two important officers in the Central Administration. These are Sannidhata (the Chief treasury officer) and Samaharta (the Chief Collector General of Revenue).

What are the sources for the Mauryan Empire?

Two sources of Mauryan Empire that are available today are literary sources and archaeological sources, which are again divided into epigraphical and numismatic sources. The available numismatic sources are punch marked coins, but not much information about Mauryan empire can be gathered from these coin of Mauryan dynasty.

What was the Mauryan Empire important to Ashoka?

Some edicts were minor rock edicts while some were minor pillar edicts. The Pillar Edict VII gives a summary of his efforts to promote the Dhamma within his kingdom. Thus the Ashokan inscriptions remain valuable sources for the study of Ashoka and the Mauryan Empire.

Who was the leader of the Mauryan Empire?

It depicts administration in Mauryan Empire, 7-caste system and absence of slavery in India. Although it is lost in its original form, it has survived in the form of quotations in the text of classical Greek writers such as Plutarch, Strabo and Arrian.

Which is the best source for Indian history?

For the first time, the political unity was achieved in India. Moreover, the history writing has also become clear from this period due to accuracy in chronology and sources. Besides plenty of indigenous and foreign literary sources, a number of epigraphical records are also available to write the history of this period.