Chandragupta And Megasthenes

In the ancient Indian subcontinent, Chandragupta Maurya established the great Mauryan Empire. He is known for bringing together the country’s small, fragmented kingdoms and uniting them into one vast empire. Megasthenes, a Greek ambassador, witnessed Chandragupta Maurya’s rule and wrote about the monarch’s life and achievements in his book ‘Indica’. He also documented important information on the history, geography, economy, society, etc., of India during his stay in the country. The below article will discuss the Rise of Chandragupta Maurya, the expansion of the Mauryan Empire, and Megasthenes’ visit to his court.

Chandragupta Maurya: Origin

• There are several views concerning Chandragupta Maurya’s lineage
• The majority of knowledge regarding his ancestry comes from Jains, Greek, Buddhist, and ancient Hindu literature
• A few historians think that Chandragupta was the illegitimate son of a Nanda king and his concubine, Mura
• Others believe that he was from the Kshatriya clan, Moriyas. However, the most common point of view is that his parents abandoned him
• Chandragupta was adopted and raised by a peasant family
• Later, he was fostered by Chanakya, and it is he who taught him the norms of administration and other things a successful ruler needs to know

Expansion of the Mauryan Empire

• Alexander the Great fled to Babylon around 324 BC with his army
• He had, however, left a few Greek monarchs to rule over sections of ancient India
• Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya forged agreements with local kings at this time and began defeating the Greek monarchs’ forces
• This resulted in the growth and expansion of their territory, eventually leading to the foundation of the great Maurya Empire
• Chanakya had assisted Chandragupta in establishing the Mauryan Empire to overthrow the Nanda Empire
• So, on Chanakya’s recommendation, Chandragupta associated with King Parvatka, the king of ancient India’s Himalayan region. Around 322 BC, the Nanda Empire was defeated by Chandragupta and Parvatka’s united troops

Alliance With Seleucus I Nicator

• In Northwest India, Chandragupta defeated the Greek satrapies
• He next went to fight with Seleucus, a Greek ruler. He had taken control of several Indian territories that Alexander the Great had previously conquered
• On the other hand, Seleucus offered Chandragupta Maurya his daughter in marriage and joined forces with him. Chandragupta began capturing several provinces and expanding the Mauryan empire to South Asia with the support of Seleucus

Megasthenes’ Visit To The Mauryan Court

• According to legends, Seleucus Nicator, a Seleucid king, offered Helena, his daughter, in marriage to Chandragupta Maurya
• However, there is no historical evidence to prove the marriage alliance
• Moreover, it was also decided to send a Greek envoy to the court of Chandragupta Maurya. So, Megasthenes, the then ambassador of Seleucus I Nicator, was sent to the Maurya court
• The Greek ambassador, Megasthenes, visited the court of Chandragupta Maurya between 302 to 298 BC
• He witnessed the reign of Chandragupta and wrote about it in his book ‘Indica’
• Accounts of the king’s administration can be found in the book of Megasthenes in great detail
• According to his accounts, the army that built that empire was heavily reliant on the supply of troops, oxen, horses, and elephants. There was also a sector known as military livestock
• Megasthenes’ account of this massive government expenditure and its policies provide vital evidence concerning Chandragupta Maurya’s success
• Megasthenes also praised the wooden architecture of the Mauryan empire. According to him, the Mauryan palace at Pataliputra was as magnificent as the one in Iran’s capital
• He also mentions the wooden constructions at Pataliputra, known as Palibothra, to Greek and Latin writers

Megasthenes on Ancient India

• Apart from Chandragupta Maurya’s reign, Megasthenes’ book ‘Indica’ also describes India in detail
• However, the book is now lost. It is reconstructed from the preserved literary fragments by several authors
• Megasthenes was the first scholar from the West to describe India in writing.

He described India as:

• India is home to numerous different ethnicities, which are all indigenous, due to its vast size. India does not have any overseas colonies, and Indians do not have any colonies outside of India
• Because of the plentiful food, clean water, and clear air, the Indians are taller than the average person
• They have a strong artistic background. Slavery is prohibited under a law enacted by ancient Indian philosophers
• The law considers everyone equal but allows the property to be dispersed differently
• Additionally, the Greek philosopher’s account also mentions the administration, food, clothing, flora, fauna, geography, economy, and history of ancient India

Conclusion

Chandragupta was the founder of the Mauryan Empire and the first emperor to unite most of India under one rule. He reigned from 321 to 297 BCE after overthrowing the Nanda dynasty. He is credited with freeing the country from foreign dominance and protecting it from mismanagement. Megasthenes visited Pataliputra during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. He was amazed by the vastness of the kingdom, Mauryan palaces and administration of Chandragupta. Megasthenes’ work ‘Indika’ describes the Mauryan reign, which was introduced to the West.

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