The Dec30th Static Quiz on Ancient History (Mauryan)

Ans;- b) Only 2

Explanation;-
• The 1st statement is incorrect because its not copper age its Iron age.

About Mauryan Empire

• The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power based in Magadha and founded by Chandragupta Maurya, which dominated the Indian subcontinent between 322 and 185 BCE.
• The Mauryan Empire was spread out between 4 provinces; Tosali, Ujjain, Suvarnagiri, and Taxila.
• Their Empire was considered a Monarchy and had both a working army and civil service.
• They used a bureaucratic system for economy.
• Comprising the majority of South Asia, the Maurya Empire was centralized by the conquest of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, and its capital city was located at Pataliputra (modern Patna).
• The empire was the largest political entity that has existed in the Indian subcontinent, extending over 5 million square kilometres (1.9 million square miles) at its zenith under Ashoka.

Ans;- b) Only 2

Explanation;-

• The statement 1st is incorrect because it is highly centralized administration not de-centralized.
• Mauryan administration was highly centralized.
• The Emperor was the supreme power and source of all authority.
• He was assisted by a Council of Ministers.
• It was called ‘Mantriparishad’.
• The ministers were called ‘Mantris.’
• The council was headed by ‘mantriparishad-adhyakshya’ akin to the Prime Minister of today.
• Kautilya’s ‘Arthashastra’ mentions about the Duties of Government Superintendents (Adyakshas).
• These Adhyakshas formed a secretariat, which was divided into several departments.

Ans;- d) None of the above

Explanation;-
• Both the statements are incorrect that’s y answer is D, because Amatyas are High ranking officials almost like present-day secretaries, they had administrative and judicial roles, and Yuktas are Subordinate officers responsible for the Empire’s revenue.

Central Government of Mauryan Empire

• Mauryan administration was highly centralized.
• The Emperor was the supreme power and source of all authority.
• He was assisted by a Council of Ministers. It was called ‘Mantriparishad’. The ministers were called ‘Mantris.’
• The council was headed by ‘mantriparishad-adhyakshya’ akin to the Prime Minister of today.
• Tirthas: the Highest category of officials in the administration. There were 18 Tirthas.
• Adhyakshya: Ranked next only to Tirthas. There were 20 Adhyakshyas. They had economic and military functions.
• Mahamattas: Higher ranking officials.
• Amatyas: High ranking officials almost like present-day secretaries. They had administrative and judicial roles.
• The Adhyakshyas were formed into a secretariat, which was divided into many departments.
• Arthashastra mentions many Adhyakshyas for commerce, storehouses, gold, ships, agriculture, cows, horses, city, chariots, mint, infantry, etc.
• Yuktas: Subordinate officers responsible for the Empire’s revenue.
• Rajjukas: Officers in charge of land measurement and boundary-fixing.
• Sansthadhyasksha: Superintendent of mint
• Samasthadhyasksha: Superintendent of markets
• Sulkaadhyaksha: Superintendent of tolls
• Sitaadhyaksha: Superintendent of agriculture
• Navadhyaksha: Superintendent of ships
• Lohadhyaksha: Superintendent of iron
• Pauthavadhyakhsa: Superintendent of weights and measures
• Akaradhyaksha: Superintendent of mines
• Vyavharika Mahamatta: Judiciary officers
• Pulisanj: Public relations officers
• Registration of births and deaths, foreigners, industries, trade, manufacture and sale of goods, sales tax collection were under the administration’s control.

Ans;- d) All of the above

Explanation;-

• All above are part of Mauryan Mantriparishad.
• The Arthashastra refers to the highest functionaries at the centre as the eighteen Tirthas, the chief among them were the Mantrin (chief minister), Purohita (high priest), Yuvaraja (heir-apparent), and Senapati (commander-inchief). 
• There were various other officials who were in charge of important portfolios.

Ans;- d) None of the above

Explanation;-
• Both are wrong, Durgapala was Governors of forts, Sthanika was the tax collectors working under Pradeshikas.

Local Administration of Mauryan

• The smallest unit of administration was the village.
• Head of a village: Gramika Villages had a lot of autonomy.
• Pradeshika was the provincial governors or district magistrates.
• Sthanika: Tax collectors working under Pradeshikas.
• Durgapala: Governors of forts.
• Antapala: Governors of frontiers.
• Akshapatala: Accountant General
• Lipikaras: Scribes

Ans;-d) None of the above

Explanation;-

• Both the terms are reversed.

Revenue of Mauryan Administration

• The revenue department chief was called Samharta.
• Another important official was Sannidhata (treasurer).
• Revenue was collected on land, irrigation, shops, customs, forests, ferry, mines and pastures. License fees were collected from artisans and fines were charged in the law courts.
• Most of the land revenue was one-sixth of the produce.

Ans;- b) Only 2

Explanation;-

• The 1st statement is incorrect because Mauryan Espionage system was well developed.

Espionage system of Mauryans

• The espionage system of the Mauryas was well-developed.
• There were spies who informed the Emperor about the bureaucracy and markets.
• There were two types of spies: Sansthana (stationary) and Sanchari (wanderer).
• Gudhapurushas were the detectives or secret agents.
• They were controlled by the Mahamatyapasarpa.
• These agents were picked from different segments of society.
• There were also agents called Vishakanyas (poisonous girls).

Explanation;-

• The statement 1st is incorrect because it is highly centralized not de-centralized.

• There are several reasons of declining of the Mauryan Dynasty. Some of them are as follows:-

1. Immediately after the death of Asoka, the Mauryan dynasty was partitioned into two parts viz. east and west. This partition disturbed the unity of the empire.
2. The successors of Asoka were weak rulers and they appeared to not been able to handle the highly centralized tradition of domestic policy of the early Mauryas.
3. Some scholars say that pious policy of Asoka was responsible to the decline of the empire as it undermined the strength of the empire.
4. This theory is contradicted by some scholars because Asoka only left policy of annexation but never dissolved or weakened his army.
5. Some scholars say that a Brahminical revolution was a reason of decline; however it is not accepted because Asoka, though patronized Buddhism, but never forced his religion on others.
6. Some scholars say that there was a pressure on Mauryan economy, which is evident from the low quality punch marked coins in the later Maurya period. However, this idea is not adopted because foreign accounts give details of a flourished economy.
7. Some scholars such as Romila Thapar say that Mauryan administration was highly centralized and only a prudent ruler could handle this machinery.
8. Some scholars hold the oppressive policy of the later Mauryan for decline of the empire.

Ans;- c) Sohagaura

Explanation;-

• Except c all are Harappan sites, C is Mauryan Site.

• The Sohgaura copper plate inscription is an Indian copper plate inscription written in Prakrit in the Brahmi script. It was discovered in Sohgaura, a village on the banks of the Rapti River, about 20 km south-east of Gorakhpur, in the Gorakhpur District, Uttar Pradesh, India.
• The plate, consisting of a line of symbolic drawings and four lines of text, is the result of a molding.
• The inscription is sometimes presented as pre-Ashokan, even pre-Mauryan, but the writing of the plate, especially the configuration of akshara would rather suggest a date after Ashoka.

Ans;- b)Only 2, 3 and 4

Explanation:-

• Merchants and artisans in same business organized themselves into guilds which were independent of government’s interference in its general working.