Kings, Farmers and Towns Test - 3

In the Tamil region, large landowners were known as vellalar, ordinary ploughmen were known as uzhavar, and landless labourers, including slaves, were known as kadaisiyar and adimai.

The spectacular gold coins that facilitated long-distance transactions were issued by the Gupta rulers. The Gupta Empire, which existed from around 320 to 550 CE, was known for its flourishing economy and trade networks. The Gupta gold coins, such as the famous "Gupta dinar," were highly standardized and widely accepted across various regions, facilitating trade and commerce within the empire and beyond. These coins played a significant role in enhancing economic activities and promoting cultural exchanges during the Gupta period.

Prakrit language is the oldest known language used in the inscriptions.

The ruler who propagated the principles of Dhamma was Asoka.

Asoka, also known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Mauryan dynasty and ruled most of the Indian subcontinent from 268 to 232 BCE. Asoka embraced Buddhism after witnessing the horrific violence in the Kalinga War and became a patron of the religion. He is widely recognized as the first ruler to propagate the principles of Dhamma, which was a code of conduct for individuals and states.

Magadha was not located near the sea; it was an inland region in present-day Bihar, India. While Magadha did flourish economically due to its fertile land, access to iron mines, and abundant resources like elephants for military purposes, its economic growth was not directly linked to maritime trade. Instead, Magadha's economic prosperity was mainly driven by agriculture, mining, and its strategic location in the Ganges Valley, facilitating trade routes with neighboring regions.

Samudragupta had a renowned poet Harisena in his court who inscribed the king’s bravery on the famous Allahabad Pillar. The pillar includes a prashasti (a eulogy) praising the deeds and virtues of the Gupta emperor. Samudragupta was the second emperor of the Gupta dynasty. His brilliant leadership and victories earned him the title of ‘Napoleon of India’.

The first issue of Epigraphia Indica was published in 1888.

Magadha emerged as the most powerful Mahajanapada between the sixth and the fourth centuries BCE. Located in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, Magadha gained prominence due to its strategic location, fertile lands, and efficient administration. Under the leadership of rulers like Bimbisara and his son Ajatasatru, Magadha expanded its territory through conquests and alliances, eventually becoming the dominant political entity in ancient India. Its capital city, Rajagriha, served as a center of political and economic activities, attracting scholars, merchants, and religious leaders from various regions.

The two land routes most favoured were via the east coast across Jabalpur and the west coast via Karwar. Also, there were mariners, whose activities were risky but immensely profitable.

The inscriptions found in the central and eastern part of India were written in Magadhi Prakrit using the Brahmi script. Prakrit using the Kharoshthi script, Greek and Aramaic were used in the northwest. The edicts are composed in non-standardized and archaic forms of Prakrit.