600 BC - Age of revolutions

600 BC - Age of second

urbanization
Age of Intellectual revolution - Rise of Heterodox sects

Age of political revolution - Rise of Mahajanapadas

Age of Iron revolution - Use of Iron implements in agriculture

Role of Iron
Trade routes during 6th century BC
 Political setup in 6th century BC
- Emergence of Imperialist ideas from later Vedic period
- 6th century BC
- Disintegration of tribal polity and emergence of
Mahajanpadas
with monarchial setup.
- State capitals as the centre of administration, religion,
education,
commerce
- Rise of bureaucracy and a standing army
- Buddhist texts - 16 Mahajanpadas
Mahajanapadas
 Mahajanapadas
Factors responsible for the rise of Mahajanapadas
- Agri surplus - Met demands of administrative class related to
management of surplus
- Availability of Iron - Weapons and Agri tools - rise of a
standing army
- Transition from a tribal society to territorial states
- Second urbanisation - Cities as hub of socio-eco and political
milieu
- Decline in influence of Brahmanas - Vaishyas in eco sphere
and Kshatriyas in political sphere
- Rise of Heterodox sects - Khatriya status higher than that of
Brahmanas
 Mahajanapadas
1. Magadha
- Most prominent among the Mahajanapadas
- Capital - Earlier Rajagir later Pataliputra
- Pataliputra - Confluence of R. Ganga, Son, Punpun and
Gandak
- Proximity to Iron ore rich Chhotanagpur region
2. Avanti
- An important monarchy in West India ruled by ‘Pradyot dynasty’
- R. Vetravati divided into two halves - two capitals
- Enroute the Dakshinapatha
- Important centre of Buddhism
- Conflict with Ajatshatru and Taxila
- Shishunaga defeated Nandivardhana and integrated it with
Magadha
 Mahajanapadas
3) Kashi
- R. Varuna in north and R. Asi in the south
- Jataka tales - rivalry between Kosala and Kashi - Later
integrated
- Important textile centre during Buddha’s time
4) Kosala
- Bound by middle Himalayas of Nepal, R. Syandika (south), R.
Gandak (east) and R.Gomati (west)
- R. Sarayu divided it into - two capitals
- Matrimonial alliance with Magadha - Prasenjit’s sister married
to Bimbisara, but later conflict and merger
5) Vatsa Mahajanapadas
- Capital - Kausambhi
- ‘Udayana’, the famous ruler during Buddha’s time
- Conflict between Avanti and Vatsa
- Udayana the protagonist in plays - ‘Swapna-Vasavadatta’ by
Bhasa,
Ratnavali and Priyadarshika by Harsha
6) Vajjis/Vrijjis
- Confederacy of eight clans - Vajjis, Lichchhavis, Videhas and
Jnatrika
- Vaishali capital of Lichchhavis, Mithila of Videha
- Mahavira’s mother was a Lichchhavi prince and father from
Jnatrika clan
- Lichchhavi’s attacked by Ajatshatru
- Head of Vajji confederacy - Chetaka who married his daughter
Chellana to Bimbisara sister Trishala in Jnatrika clan
Magadha empire
 Rise of Magadha
Factors responsible
Geography
- Strategic - On crossroads of eastern and western trade
- Natural defence for the capital cities - Rajgir - 5 Hills,
Pataliputra surrounded by rivers Ganga, Gandak, Son, Punpun and
Ghagra.
- Mineral resource - Iron mines of Rajgir
- Forest resource - Timber for construction and housing,
elephants as a wing of army
- Riverine plains - high soil fertility
 Rise of Magadha
Economic factors
Agri surplus - Use of Iron implements for clearing of forests and in
agri.
- Employment of Shudras and tribes in agriculture
- High soil fertility
Trade - Magadha, the terminus of Uttarapatha
- Upstream - Linked N.India to Kasia and further up to Delhi
region
through Yamuna; Downstream - Linked to Tamralipti port
- Champa port for trade with South East Asia, Ceylon and
South India
- Imperialistic expansion further strengthened control of R.
Ganga
 Rise of Magadha
Cultural factors - Location of Magadha in the eastern plains far from
the hotbed of Vedic culture.

- Magadha composite culture - Interaction of Aryans with

others
- Magadha - Influence of Heterodox sects - better position of
shudras (agriculture, army)
- Recently Vedicised - Greater enthusiasm from expansion

Political factors - Constant wars between polities - no united front against

Magadha
- Matrimonial alliances with Kosal, Lichchhavis, Madra
- Imperialist outlook of rulers - Bimbisara, Ajatshatru, Shisunaga and
Nandas
 Rise of Magadha
Military Factors - Large standing army recruited from all varnas
- Elephants as an important organ
- Complex weapons - Ajatshatru’s chariot with a mace,
catapult engine
Magadha dynasty
Haryanka Dynasty
(600 - 413 BC)

Shishunaga
Dynasty (600 - 413
BC)

Nanda Dynasty
(345 - 321 BC)
 Magadha dynasty
Bimbisara - Imperialism - Annexation of Anga
- Matrimonial alliance - Kosala princes (sister of Prasenjit),
Chellana (Lichchhavi princes), Kshema Madra princess
- Buddhist inspiration - attainment of ‘sotapannahood’
Ajatshatru - 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
Mahakassapa around 400 BC
Udayin - Shifted the capital from Rajgir to Pataliputra
 Magadha dynasty
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), first empire builders in
India
Diodorus, - Large standing army - Reference by Greek historian
Plutarch, Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus
- Last Nanda king ‘Dhana Nanda’ unpopular
Magadha dynasty
 Republics
Located at the foothills of Himalayas or near Indus basin
- Republics as remnants of old tribal polities
- Emergence as a reaction against excessive materialism in
later
Vedic age and too much concentration of power due to
hereditary
kingship, appropriation of all revenues by the later chiefs
- Romanticised old tribal setup
- Republics of two types
- Clan based - Sakya, Mallas
- Confederacy - Vajjis, Yadavas