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Megasthenes Visit to India

On December 3, 2013 By Mayank Kulkarni Category: History of Ancient India

Megasthenes was a Greek historian who came to India in the fourth century B.C. as a representative or ambassador of Seleucus Nicator. He lived in the court of Chandra­gupta Maurya for about five years (302-298 B.C.)

Megasthenes was born in 350 B.C.

Megasthenes has written an account of India and also that of Chandragupta’s reign in his book entitled “INDIKA”. This book is not at present available but most of its passages are found in the form of quotations in the writings of various Greek and Roman auth­ors. From these passages we come to know that Megasthenes had tried to write about everything that he had seen in India—its geography, government, religion and society.

Most of the scholars attach a great importance to the information received from Megasthenes. He has written in detail about Chandragupta Maurya’s administration as well as the Indian society in the Mauryan period.

Megasthenes on Mauryan Administration

Megasthenes has given us the following useful information regarding the Mauryan administration.

About the King: Megasthenes gives a detailed description of the personal life of Chandragupta Maurya. He led a very splendid life and his palace was unique in its beauty. The king did not sleep in one room for two continuous days. He did not favor meeting the people too much.

About Civil Administration: Megasthenes has written a lot about the civil administration of Chandragupta Maurya. He writes that the king was an autocrat and he was the master of un­limited powers. He kept himself fully aware of the main events of his empire through his spies.

About the Indian Society: Besides dealing with the Mauryan administration Megasthenes has provided us very valu­able information regarding the Indian society in the Mauryan period.

Megasthenes died on 290 B.C.

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  3. Administration of Chandragupta Maurya
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  5. Biography of Chandragupta Maurya
  6. Chandragupta Maurya (Founder of Mauryan Dynasty)
  7. 99 words on MudraRakshasa
  8. Hiuen Tsang visit to India
  9. Short Paragraph on Marco Polo’s visit to India

Category: History of Ancient India Tagged With: Foreign Travellers to India

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Related Posts

  1. Chanakya’s Arthashastra
  2. Useful notes on Kautilya’s Arthashastra
  3. Administration of Chandragupta Maurya
  4. Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya
  5. Biography of Chandragupta Maurya
  6. Chandragupta Maurya (Founder of Mauryan Dynasty)
  7. 99 words on MudraRakshasa
  8. Hiuen Tsang visit to India
  9. Short Paragraph on Marco Polo’s visit to India




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