LIWA

The Mauryan Empire

ICSE Class 6 · History & Civics · Chapter 8

What this chapter covers

Key definitions

The Indica is a book about India written by Megasthenes, a Greek visitor who lived at the court of Chandragupta Maurya.

The Arthashastra is a book in Sanskrit about how a king should rule, collect taxes, keep the kingdom safe and look after his people.

A welfare state is a state in which the ruler works for the good and comfort of all the people, not only for his own power.

Dhamma is the word Ashoka used for a simple way of good living that he asked all his people to follow.

A Dhamma Mahamatta was an officer whose job was to travel through the empire, teach Dhamma and see that people were treated fairly.

An edict is an official order or message from a ruler to his people.

Administration is the way a ruler runs a country through officials, rules and taxes.

A province is a large part of an empire that is ruled by a governor for the emperor.

The National Emblem of India is the four-lion design taken from Ashoka's Lion Capital at Sarnath.

A stupa is a large dome-shaped mound of brick or stone built over the remains of the Buddha or of a holy person.

Punch-marked coins are coins, mostly of silver, that have small symbols stamped on them with a metal punch.

Key points

Questions answered

Who wrote the Indica, and why was he in India?
Megasthenes wrote it. He was a Greek ambassador sent by Seleucus to the court of Chandragupta Maurya.
What is the Arthashastra, and who is believed to have written it?
The Arthashastra is a Sanskrit book about how a king should rule a kingdom. It is believed to have been written by Chanakya, also called Kautilya.
Give two ways in which Chanakya helped Chandragupta Maurya.
Any two: he trained Chandragupta, helped him build an army and defeat the Nandas, set up a system of officials and taxes, and used spies to watch enemies.
Why did Greek writers call Bindusara "Amitrochates"?
The name comes from the Sanskrit Amitraghata, meaning "slayer of enemies".
Give one cause and two effects of the Kalinga War.
Cause: Ashoka wanted to add rich, free Kalinga to his empire. Effects: any two of huge loss of life, Kalinga joining the empire, Ashoka giving up war, and Ashoka spreading Dhamma.
Name three welfare activities of Ashoka.
Any three: digging wells, planting shady trees on roads, building rest houses, opening hospitals for people and animals, and growing medicinal herbs.
In which language and script are most of Ashoka's edicts written?
Most are in the Prakrit language and the Brahmi script.
How was the city of Pataliputra run, according to Megasthenes?
By a council of 30 members, divided into six boards of five members each. Each board had its own work, such as trade, foreigners or records of births and deaths.