Q1.
In the previous chapter, you studied the map of the Maurya empire (see page 100). Above is a map of the post-Maurya period. How many kingdoms can you count in the area that were previously under the control of the Maurya empire?
Answer
Fig. 6.2 names nine powers in all. Of these, six lie inside the area that the Maurya empire had controlled.
| # | Name on Fig. 6.2 | Where it lies | Was this area Mauryan? (Fig. 5.13) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indo-Greeks | Far northwest, beyond the Indus | Yes — Aśhoka's empire reached Kāndhār |
| 2 | Kuṣhāṇas | Northwest and the upper Ganga plains | Yes |
| 3 | Śhakas (Indo-Scythians) | Western India / Punjab plains | Yes |
| 4 | Śhungas | North and central India (the old Maurya heartland) | Yes — Pāṭaliputra was the Maurya capital |
| 5 | Sātavāhanas | The Deccan | Yes — Pratiṣhṭhāna and Amrāvatī are on the Maurya map |
| 6 | Chedis | Kalinga, on the east coast | Yes — Aśhoka conquered Kalinga |
| — | Cholas, Cheras, Pānḍyas | The far south | No — the Maurya map stops short of them; they are shown outside the orange area |
So: six kingdoms in the old Maurya area, and three southern kingdoms that were never part of it.
Why it happens: the three southern kingdoms had stayed independent even at the height of Mauryan power — Aśhoka himself mentions them in his edicts as neighbours, not as subjects. So the six kingdoms in the north, west, centre and east of the map are the true measure of how the Maurya empire fell apart: one empire became six competing states.
Tip: if your teacher counts the two names ‘Śhakas' and ‘Indo-Scythians' on the map, remember they are one and the same people — the second name is only given in brackets.