Mention the two literary sources which help historians to reconstruct the history of the Mauryan Empire?
Important Questions on Early States and Economies (600BCE - 600CE)
Look at Map and discuss the location of Asokan inscriptions. Do you notice any patterns?
Here is an excerpt from the account of Megasthenes:
Of the great officers of state. Some superintend the rivers, measure the land, as is done in Egypt, and inspect the sluices by which water is let out from the main canals into their branches, so that every one may have an equal supply of it. The same persons have charge also of the huntsmen, and are entrusted with the power of rewarding or punishing them according to their deserts. They collect the taxes, and superintend the occupations connected with land; as those of the woodcutters, the carpenters, the blacksmiths, and the miners.
Read the Paragraph above and answer the following:
(a) Why were the supervisors appointed to supervise these occupational groups?
Why is the lion capital considered important today?
According to Greek sources, the Mauryan ruler had a standing army of foot-soldiers, cavalry, and elephants. Some historians consider these accounts to be exaggerated. If the Greek accounts were true, what kinds of resources do you think the Mauryan ruler would have required to maintain such a large army?
Do some Devanagari letters appear similar to Brahmi? Are there any that seem different?
