Mauryan military administration
Topic: The Mauryan Empire · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 2 "Kings, Farmers and Towns"
Meaning
Mauryan military administration was the system the empire used to run its very large army. Megasthenes, the Greek envoy at Chandragupta Maurya's court, describes a committee with six subcommittees. They looked after (1) the navy, (2) transport and provisions, (3) foot-soldiers, (4) horses, (5) chariots and (6) elephants. The transport group arranged bullock carts for equipment, food for soldiers and fodder for animals, and hired servants and artisans. The army also kept the routes between the capital and the provinces safe, since journeys took weeks or months.
Example
Greek sources say the Mauryas kept a standing army of 600,000 foot-soldiers, 30,000 cavalry and 9,000 elephants. Some historians think these figures are exaggerated, so they should be used with care.
Don't confuse with
- Danda: in the Arthashastra's seven limbs of the state, danda means the forces of defence and of law and order. Megasthenes' six subcommittees describe how the army itself was organised.