A special officiols appointeel
for purposes of administration
under the mauryas are known
as
Answers
The Mauryan Empire: Administration
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). At the centre of the structure was the king who had the power to enact laws. Kautilya advises the King to promulgate dharma when the social order based on the Varnas and Ashramas (stages in life) perishes.
JAGRAN JOSH
JUL 18, 2015 16:30 IST
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.
Scholars suggest that Mauryan Empire was further divided into various departments with important officials:
Revenue department:- Important officials: Sannidhata: Chief treasury, Samaharta: collector general of revenue.
Military department: Megasthenese mentions a committee with six subcommittees for coordinating military activity of these, one looked after the navy, the second managed transport and provisions, and the third was responsible for foot-soldiers, the fourth for horses, the fifth for chariots and the sixth for elephants.