The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c31.s3.5

v1.c31.s3.5

Even in the first century of the Christian era the south seems to have felt little influence from the Āryan culture of Northern India. Some Brāhman colonies had made their way into the south, and in a few cases Brāhmans had gained there a certain position in literature and religion; but on the whole they counted for little in the life of the people, especially as their teachings were counterbalanced by the influence of the powerful Buddhist and Jain churches, and Dravidian society was still free from the yoke of the Brāhman caste-system¹. Next to the *ar͟ivar* or sages, the highest place among the Tamils was held by the land-owning class, after whom ranked herdsmen, hunters, artisans, soldiers, and at the bottom of the social scale fishers and scavengers. Government was under the supreme control of the kings; but they were considerably influenced by the 'Five Great Assemblies,' bodies representative of five classes of society¹. Probably there was also some organisation of the provinces for local administration, as we find in historical times that each shire or *nāḍu* was divided into village communities and its representatives met in a shire-mote of several hundred men representing the families of the *nāḍu*, which possessed considerable power in the control of local affairs.