Ilp Value Add- Pre Mauryan History

IASbaba ILP: Value Add- Pre Mauryan History

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Pre-Mauryan:

Most powerful: Lichchchavis; Capital: Vaishali

Koshala: Ayodhya (Ramayana) + Tribal republican territory of Shakyas of Kapilvastu

Lumbini: Birthplace of Gautam Buddha; Passed away at Kushinara


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IRANIAN INVASION

North-western part of India:

Small kingdoms- kept fighting (Kambojas + Gandharas + Madras)

No powerful kingdom

Wealthy area; easy entry via Hindukush

Achaemenian rulers of Iran:

Took advantage of political disunity

Darius penetrated; captured Punjab + West of Indus + Sindh

Most fertile & populous part of the empire

Tax: 1/3rd of the total revenue of Iran

Employed Indian in the military

Was a part of Iranian empire till Alexander’s invasion

Results of Contacts with Iran: (200 YEARS)

Impetus to the trade & commerce of Iranian (attracted Greece to India)

Kharoshthi scripts : written from right to left like Arabic

Influence on Mauryan Empire:

Bell-shaped capitals (sculpture)

Preamble of Ashoka’s edicts

Ashokan inscriptions in N-W: Kharoshthi script


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MACEDONIAN INVASION

4th century B.C.: Greeks & Iranians fought for the supremacy of the world

Alexander of Macedonia:

Greeks destroyed Iranian empire

Conquered Asia Minor + Iraq + Iran

Started walking towards India


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Note:

Epigraphy: Study of inscriptions.

Janapada:

The land where a jana (a people, clan or tribe) sets its foot or settles

Used in both Prakrit and Sanskrit

Ganas or Sanghas: Oligarchies where power was shared by a number of

men, often collectively called rajas

Raids on neighbouring states were recognised as a legitimate means of

acquiring wealth

Both Mahavira and Gautam Buddha belonged to these Janapadas

Political Centres of Mauryan Empire:

Capital Pataliputra

Taxila,

Ujjayini,

Tosali

Suvarnagiri,

Documents

Ilp Value Add- Pre Mauryan History