Episode 11 The Mauryan Empire

A History of India

Michael Fisher (2016)

Film Review

Chandragupta founded the Mauryan Empire in north India in 320 BC. To make this happen, he had to unite many disparate Indian janapattas (kingdoms), many with distinct languages and dialects.

Endowed with fertile soil water by Himalayan glaciers, Magadha  (modern day Bihar) was Chandragupta’s center of power. Under Chandragupta, the region slowly clearcut the primeval forests (dispersing the Adivasi** who lived there). During the 4th century BC, local farmers learned to cultivate wet rice, which produced two crops a year. In this way, they produced three times as much grain as dry crops like wheat and barley.

This high level of production enabled Chandragupta to hire professional full time soldiers. It also enabled a brisk trade with the Adivasi in forest products, such as wood and elephants, as well as the mining and smelting of coal and iron, both for export and for tools used in hand manufacturing.

The rise of the Mauryan Empire came about through the consolidation, in the 5th century BC, of 700 janapatta into five. It was further aided by the invasion of Persian-controlled west India by Alexander the Great in 336 BC. Although Alexandra left behind major trade routes linking Greece, Egypt and India, western India was still in major disarray following the defeat and withdrawal of Persian overlords.

The first attempt to unite northern India occurred in 500 BC, when King Bimbisara (who fostered agriculture, manufacturing, road building and uniform taxation) annexed neighboring kingdoms through marriage and conquest. Bimbisara was overthrown, imprisoned and eventually executed by his son Ajaashatra, who went went on to conquer additional janapata.

Three other dynasties also seized rule in Magadha. Chandragupta, a low-born rebel was the last. Chandragupta’s Brahman tutor Canakya is almost as well known as Chandragupta for his spy networks and skill in playing off ministers against each other.

When Chandragupta marched into west India, he faced strong opposition from Alexander’s successor Seleuces. Eventually defeating him, Chandragutpa won his daughter in marriage, trading 500 elephants for Baluchistan and much of modern day Afghanistan.

According to the Greek Megathens, who lived at his court for three years, Chandragupta ran an incredibly complex administrative network without benefit of written documents. The latter technically achieved military control over all but the southern tip of India. Yet his regime resulted in little political or cultural change outside Magadha.

After two decades of rule he became a Jain* monk to burn off the bad Karma of al his conquests, eventually fasting to death.

*See Ancient Indian Religions: The Rise of Jainism

**See India’s Indigenous Adivasi

Film can be viewed free with a library card on Kanopy.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/366254/366193