Administrative arrangements made by Alexander The Macedonian king had no desire to renounce his new conquests. He wished to incorporate them permanently into his extensive empire. He formed... Read more
The Nandas The new king belonged to a family called Nanda by all our authorities. His personal name or epithet was Mahapadma, or Mahapadmapati, “sovereign of an infinite host”, o... Read more
Bimbisara The most remarkable king of the Haryanka line was Srenika or Bimbisara, who was anointed king by his father while yet a boy of fifteen. The event took place, according to Ceylonese... Read more
The Great Janapadas The idea of a universal king was present before the minds of the Rig-Vedic poets, and in the later Vedic texts we find mention of several rulers who went round the... Read more
Religious Development Great changes took place in the religious life of the people. The lustre of the older gods was gradually dimmed, though one would still find, here and there, especially... Read more
Social Changes Little change can be traced in the mode of house-building and the style of dress. In regard to dietary, the eating of meat was being looked upon with disfavor. New forms of so... Read more
Aryan Expansion We have seen that in the Rig-Vedic period the Aryan tribes had spread over the whole country from the Kabul to the upper Ganges, and had built up small kingdoms mostly under... Read more
Religion The early Vedic religion has been designated by the name of henotheism or kathenotheism-a belief in krishnasingle gods, each in turn standing out as the highest. It has also been de... Read more
Economic Life The Rig-Vedic Aryans were mostly scattered in villages. The word nagara (city) does not occur in the hymns. We find indeed mention of purs which were occasionally of considerab... Read more
Social Life It has already been stated that the foundation of the political and social structure in the Rig- Vedic age was the family. The members of a family lived in the same house. Houses... Read more
