KINGS, FARMERS AND TOWNS

POST - MAURYAN PERIOD

****************************

The most important political developments of the Post-Maurya period was the onslaught of for­eigners from the north-west.

The first among them were the Bactrian Greeks, known in earlier Indian literature as Yavanas; the word was derived from the Old Persian from Yauna, signifying originally Ionian Greeks but later all people of Greek nationality.

INDO-GREEKS:

***************

The first to invade India were the Greeks or Bactrian Greeks who were called the Indo-Greeks or Bactrian Greeks in the early second century B.C. The history of the Indo-Greeks has been recon­structed mainly on the evidence of their coins bearing legends in Greek and later in Brahmi as well.

Demetrius, son of Euthydemus, king of Bactria was perhaps the first foreign (Indo-Greek) king after Alexander who carried Greek arms into the interior of India. He reduced to submission a considerable portion of Afghanistan, the Punjab and Sind.

The best remembered of the Indo-Greek kings was Menander, (165-145 D C.) who, as Milinda, attained fame in the Buddhist text Milindapanho or the question of Milinda-a catechismal discussion in Buddhism supposedly conducted by Menander and the Buddhist philosopher Nagasena, resulting in Menander’s conversion to Buddhism.

Menander established Indo-Greek power, in addition to extending its frontiers in India.

He had his capital at Sakala (modern Sialkot) in Punjab. There is little doubt that the attempted to conquer territory in the Ganges valley, but he failed to retain it. He may well have attacked the Sungas in the Yamuna region, if not Pataliputra itself. A Brahmi inscription engraved on a Garuda Pillar found are Besnager near Bhilsa records that Antialkidas of Taxila sent an ambassador, named Heliodorus, to the court of Kasiputra Bhagabhadra, identified with the last but one Sunga, Bhagavata.

Helidorus in this inscription pro­fesses to be a follower of Vasudeva, associated with the God Vishnu. Hemaeus was the last Indo- Greek ruler who has to maintain his precarious hold against the advancing menace of the Sakas, Parthians and the Yuechis.

                    ------------

NEW NOTION OF KINGSHIP DEVELOPED IN THE POST- MAURYAN PERIOD (KUSHANAS & GUPTA RULERS)

****************************************

The notions of kingship during the Kushana and Gupta empire are as under:-

KUSHANA EMPIRE

A. In the first century, BCE Kushanas ruled over a vast kingdom extending from Central Asia to northwest India.

B. History has been reconstructed from various inscriptions and texts.

C. The notions of kingship during the Kushana empire are best understood from the coins and culture.

D. The statues of these rulers were found in Gandhar(Afghanistan)and Mathura(U.P).

E. According to some historians, it indicates that these rulers thought of themselves as God.

F. Many rulers also assumed the title of Devaputra which means the ‘Son of God’. It is said that they were inspired by the Chinese leaders who called himself the ‘Son of Heaven’.

GUPTA EMPIRE

A. The history of the Gupta Empire in understood from literature, coins, inscriptions, and Prashastis. Prashastis were praises composed of kings in particular and patrons in general by poets.

B. The court poet of Samudragupta, Harisena composed Prayag Prashashti. It was also known as the Allahabad pillar inscription.

C. He described Samudraguupta as the most powerful king of the Gupta empire.

D. He was considered as equally powerful to God and the protector of his poor subjects.

************

AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ADOPTED OR INCREASED DURING THE PERIOD 600BCE TO 600CE

The demand for taxes increased in the post 600 B.C.E. In order to meet the demand of excessive taxes, without taking lesser produce, forced the farmers to increase productivity. This resulted in the use of new tools and practices of agriculture. The important ones are as follows:

(i) Use the plough: Ploughs became commonplace. They were hardly heard of the past. The use of the plough began in ganga and cauvery basins. In places where rain was abundant, the plough was used with iron tip. This increased the paddy production manifold.

2.  Use of spade: Another tool that changed the system of agriculture is spade. Those farmers who lived in the areas of harsh land used spade.

3. Artificial Irrigation: Apart from rainfall, the farmers now began to look at artificial from of irrigation. This prompted farmers to built wells, ponds, and canals often collectively. This increased the agricultural production.

The production increased due to new technology and tools. This created new strata in the society. In the Buddhist literature, there is a description of small and big farmers. They were called Grihpatis. Similar description is given in Tamil literature too. The position of the village head was often hereditary. In such a situation the ownership of the land became very important.

THE SYSTEM OF LAND GRANT AND TRADE DURING C.600 BCE. TO 600 CE.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The inscriptions on stones and copper plates are the main source of information to know about the system of land grants and trade from C.600 BCE to 600 CE.

LAND GRANTS:

1. Grants were made to religious institutions and Samantas.

2. Brahmans were given Agrahara grants.

3. The system of giving land as grants was adopted as a strategic tool to extend Brahmanical practices and to provide scope for the expansion of agriculture.

4. The kings wanted to make allies as the weakening of the powers was evident.

TRADE PRACTICES:

1. Both Inland and overseas trade flourished.

2. Inland trade developed within the country whereas trade relations were established with Central and West Asia and Northern Africa.

3. Inland trade was done through the rivers.

4. Merchants used caravans and bullock cart while the peddlers travelled on foot to carry on their business.

5. Salt, timber, cloth, spices and medicinal plants were some of the items that were traded.

6. Punch marked coins were introduced to facilitate trade.

7. The texts written in Tamil and Pali provide us with enough information on the trade practices during the period.

The social and economic life of the people can be understood from the inscriptions and manuscripts.

PRABHAVATI  GUPTA

Prabhavati Gupta was the daughter of one of the most important rulers in early Indian history, Chandragupta II (c. 375-415 CE). She was married into another important ruling family, that of the Vakatakas, who were powerful in the Deccan . According to Sanskrit legal texts, women were not supposed to have independent access to resources such as land. However, the inscription indicates that Prabhavati had access to land, which she then granted. This may have been because she was a queen (one of the few known from early Indian history), and her situation was therefore exceptional.

It is also possible that the provisions of legal texts were not uniformly implemented.

The inscription also gives us an idea about rural populations – these included Brahmanas and peasants, as well as others who were expected to

provide a range of produce to the king or his representatives. And according to the inscription, they would have to obey the new lord of the village, and perhaps pay him all these dues.

PUNCH MARKED COINS:-

The first documented coinage is deemed to start with 'Punch Marked' coins issued between the 7th-6th century BCE and 1^stcentury AD/CE These coins are called 'punch-marked' coins because of their manufacturing technique. Mostly made of silver, these bear symbols, each of which was punched on the coin with a separate punch.