3. Give an account of Mauryan administration.
Answers
Answer:
The Mauryan Empire was divided into four provinces with the imperial capital at Pataliputra. From Ashokan edicts, the name of the four provincial capitals were Tosali (in the east), Ujjain in the west, Suvarnagiri (in the south), and Taxila (in the north). According to Megasthenese, the empire exercised a military of 600,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 war elephants. For the purpose of internal and external security, there was a vast espionage system was there to keep a watch on the officials and messengers went to and fro. Kings appointed officials to collect taxes from herders, farmers, traders and craftsmen etc.
The king was the centre of administrative superstructure and king used to select ministers and high officials. Administrative structure was as follows:
King assisted by Mantriparishad (council of ministers) whose members included Mantriparishad Adhyaksha and below him was as following:
Yuvaraj: The crown prince
Purohita: The chief priest
The Senapati: The commander in chief
Amatya: Civil servants and few other ministers.