600 BC - Age of Second Urbanisation

Age of Intellectual Age of Political Age of Iron

Revolution Revolution Revolution
Rise of Heterodox Rise of Use of Iron Implements
sects Mahajanapadas in Agriculture
Role of Iron
Trade Routes
 Political Setup

• Emergence of Imperialist ideas from later Vedic period

• 6th century BC

• Disintegration of tribal polity & emergence of

Mahajanapadas with monarchical setup.

• State capitals as the centres of administration, religion,

education, commerce

• Rise of bureaucracy and a standing army

• Buddhist texts mention 16 Mahajanapadas

The Mahajanapadas
(600BCE-300BCE)
 Factors Responsible for the Rise of Mahajanapadas

• Agricultural Surplus - Met demands of administrative class related to

management of surplus
• Availability of Iron - Weapons and Agricultural tools - rise of a standing army
• Transition of Society - Transition from a tribal society to territorial states
• Second urbanization - Cities as hubs of socio-economic and political milieu
• Social Changes - Decline in Influence of Brahmanas.
Rise in importance of Vaishyas in economic sphere and Kshatriyas in political sphere
• Rise of Heterodox sects.
 Magadha

• Most prominent among the Mahajanapadas

• Capital- Earlier Rajgir, later Pataliputra

• Pataliputra was located at the confluence of rivers Ganga,

Son, Punpun & Gandak.

• Proximity to iron ore rich Chhotanagpur region

King Bimbisara visits the Bamboo
Garden (Venuvana) in Rajagriha;
artwork from Sanchi.
 Avanti
• An important monarchy in West India ruled by
‘Pradyot dynasty’

• River Vetravati (Betwa) divided Avanti into two

halves, that had two separate capitals.

• En route the Dakshinapatha

A silver coin of ½ karshapana from the kingdom
of Avanti about 400-312 BC.
• Important centre of Buddhism Image : wikipedia

• Conflict with Ajatashatru and Taxila

• Shishunaga defeated Nandivardhana and

integrated it with Magadha
 Kashi

• River Varuna in north and River Asi in the south

• Jataka tales - rivalry between Kosala and Kashi -

later integrated

• Important textile centre during Buddha’s time

A coin from Kashi, 400-300 BCE.
Image : wikipedia
 Kosala

• Bound by middle Himalayas of Nepal, River Syandika (south),

River Gandak (east) and River Gomati (west)

• River Sarayu divided it into - two capitals

• Matrimonial alliance with Magadha - Prasenjit’s sister married

to Bimbisara, but later conflict and merger
Procession of Prasenajit of
Kosala leaving Sravasti to
meet the Buddha, Sanchi.
Image: .wikipedia
 Vatsa

• Capital - Kaushambi

• ‘Udayana’, the famous ruler during Buddha’s time

• Conflict between Avanti and Vatsa

• Udayana was the protagonist in plays - ‘Swapna-

Vasavadatta’ by Bhasa, and Ratnavali & Priyadarshika Ghoshitaram monastery in Kosambi
Image: .wikipedia

by Harshavardhan
 Vajjis / Vrijjis

• Confederacy of eight clans including Vajjis, Lichchhavis, Videhas and Jnatrika

• Vaishali capital of Lichchhavis, Mithila of Videha

• Mahavira’s mother was a Lichchhavi princess, and his father was from Jnatrika clan

• Lichchhavis attacked by Ajatshatru

• Head of Vajji confederacy was Chetaka, who married his daughter

Chellana to Bimbisara and sister Trishala in Jnatrika clan
Magadha Empire
 Factors for Rise of Magadha Empire - Geography

• Strategic - On crossroads of eastern and western trade routes

• Natural defence for the Capital Cities -
Rajgir - 5 Hills, Pataliputra surrounded by rivers Ganga, Gandak, Son, Punpun & Ghagra.
• Mineral Resource - Iron mines of Rajgir
• Forest Resources - Timber for construction and housing, elephants as a wing of army
• Riverine Plains - High soil fertility
 Factors for Rise of Magadha Empire - Economic factors

Agricultural surplus
• Use of Iron Implements for clearing of forests and in agriculture.
• Employment of Shudras and tribes in agriculture
• High soil fertility
 Factors for Rise of Magadha Empire - Economic factors

Trade
• Magadha, the terminus of Uttarapatha
• Upstream - Linked North India to Kasia and
further up to Delhi region through Yamuna;
Downstream - Linked to Tamralipti port Magadha kingdom coin, c. 430–320 BCE, Karshapana
.
• Champa port for trade with South East Asia,
Ceylon and South India
• Imperialistic expansion further strengthened
control of River Ganga
 Factors for Rise of Magadha Empire – Cultural factors

• Located in the eastern plains, far away from the hotbed of Vedic culture.
• Magadha composite culture - Interaction of Aryans with others.
• Influence of Heterodox sects - better position of Shudras (agriculture, army).
• Recently Vedicised - Greater enthusiasm for expansion
 Factors for Rise of Magadha Empire – Political factors

• Constant wars between polities - no united front against Magadha

• Matrimonial alliances with Kosala, Lichchhavis, Madra
• Imperialist outlook of rulers - Bimbisara, Ajatshatru, Shishunaga and Nandas
 Factors for Rise of Magadha Empire – Military Factors

Image - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia

• Large standing army recruited from all varnas

• Elephants as an important organ
• Complex weapons – Ajatshatru’s chariot with a
mace, catapult engine
 Magadhan Dynasties

600 – 413 BC 413 – 345 BC 345 – 321 BC

Haryanka Shishunaga Nanda

Dynasty Dynasty Dynasty
 Haryanka Dynasty

Bimbisara

• Imperialism - Annexation of Anga

• Matrimonial alliance - Kosala princess (sister of Prasenjit),

Chellana (Lichchhavi princess), Kshema (Madra princess)

• Buddhist inspiration - attainment of ‘sotapanna hood’

Image : Wikipedia
 Haryanka Dynasty

Ajatashatru

• Referred to as ‘Vaidehi putra’ in inscriptions

• Made elaborate arrangements for defence of Patali Grama

• Policy of conquest and annexation - War with Lichchhavis,

Kosala, but failed to conquer Avanti

• Organised the first Buddhist council presided by Maha

Image : Wikipedia
Kassapa around 400 BC
Ajatashatru of Magadha makes
a midnight call, 495 BC
 Haryanka Dynasty

Udayin

• Shifted the capital from Rajgir to Pataliputra

Udayin
Source: wikipedia
 Shishunaga Dynasty

• Founded by Shishunaga, who ascended the throne due to a public rebellion

around 413 BC

• Annexation and integration of Avanti

• Kalashoka organised the Second Buddhist Council

 Nanda Dynasty

• Founded by Mahapadma

• Mahapadma Nanda - 'Ekrat' in Puranas, conqueror of

Kalinga (Hathigumpha inscription), one of the first empire
builders in India

• Large standing army - Reference by Greek

historians Diodorus & Plutarch, and Roman historian
Quintus Curtius Rufus

Mahapadma Nanda • Last Nanda king ‘Dhana Nanda’ was quite unpopular
Source: Alchetron
Nanda Empire
 Republics

• Located at the foothills of Himalayas or near Indus basin

• Remnants of old tribal polities

• Emergence as a reaction against excessive materialism in later Vedic age, too

much concentration of power due to hereditary kingship and appropriation of all
revenues by the later chiefs

• Romanticised old tribal setup

 Republics

Republics of
two types

Clan Based Confederacy

Sakyas, Mallas Vajjis, Yadavas
UPSC previous years
questions
Prelims
 1999
1. Which one of the following was initially the most powerful
city state of India in the 6th century B.C.?

a) Gandhar

b) Kamboj

c) Kashi

d) Magadh
 2000
2. Which one of the following dynasties was ruling over
North India at the time of Alexander’s invasion?

a) Nanda

b) Maurya

c) Sunga

d) Kanva