MAURYAN EMPIRE

By: Geoffrey Smith

Block 5

LOCATION & TIME

322 BCE–185 BCE

Modern day India

ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTIONS

Ruled by an emperor ( Samraat)

4 provinces( Tosali in the east, Ujjain in the

west, Suvarnagirii  in the south, and Taxila in the

north) ruled by kings

Bureaucracy

MILITARY POWER

Troops were from all over the caste system but

most were from warrior classes in western and

central India.

Didn’t use fortifications, preferred complex

formations that could be formed quickly.

600,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 war

elephants

TRADE

Mauryan currency was the Pana (copper and silver

coins)

Most trade was done internally

Most external trade was with China and Persia

ROLE OF CITIES

Trade with one another

Preserve cultural and religious ideas

Keep peace with each other to avoid civil war

SOCIAL HIERARCHY

Brahmins- Priest

Kshatriyas- Warriors

Vaishyas- Merchants & Peasants/Farmers

Shudras- Slaves/Labor class

Chandalas- Untouchables

PATRIARCHY

Women had no rights

Couldn’t marry outside of their caste rank

COLLAPSE

Weak government after Ashoka

Separation followed by Greek invasions

Civil wars

MLA CITATION

“Mauryan Empire.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia, August

14, 2011. Web. September 7, 2011.

Map of Mauryan Empire. Wikipedia database. Indi

a, 320 B.C.E. Web. September 14. 2011.

Mauryan Currency.

Wikipedia database. India, 320 B.C.E. Web. Septe

mber 14. 2011.