- Mauryan Empire
The Maurya Empire was a extensive Iron age historical power based in Magadha and is founded by Chandragupta Maurya which dominated the Indian Subcontinent between 322 BCE to 185 BCE.
The Mauryan Empire was centralized by the conquest of Indo-Gangetic plain and its capital city was located at Patliputra(modern day Patna). The Empire was the largest political group that had existed in Indian Subcontinent.
Mauryan Empire was established after the declination of Nanda dynasty. There are also many literary sources about the Mauryan dynasty as well as archaeological sources about the Mauryan Empire.
Literary Sources
- Arthashashtra by Kautilya
- Mudra Rakshas by Vishakhadutta
- Rajtaringini by Kalhana
- Indica by Megasthenese
- Puranas
- Gargi Samhita
Many other Buddhist and Jainism literature
Among the sources used mainly to reconstruct the polity of the Mauryans is the Arthashashtra , which provide a detailed blueprint of “How a kingdom should be governed?”
Its authorship is contributed to Kautilya, also identified by some with Chanakya and thought to be the chief minister of Chandragupta Maurya.
According to historians the organisation of the Empire was in line with extensive bureaucracy described by Kautilya in Arthshashtra. The expansion and defence of the empire was made possible by what appears to have been one of the largest army in the world during Iron age.
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