The Early History of India, from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest, including the Invasion of Alexander the Great c18.71

c18.71

² This was a Persian punishment. 'Lighter crimes are punished by cutting off the nose, or perhaps only the hair. Sometimes one-half of the scalp is shaved, and a tablet affixed to the neck, so inflicting disgrace on the offender' (Kingsmill, in *Athenaeum*, July 19, 1902, quoting a Chinese work of the sixth century, entitled *Wei-Shu*, with reference to the Sassanian period). The offences for which shaving of the head was one of the optional penalties are specified in the *Arthaśāstra*, Bk. iv. ch. 9. For petty thefts of articles worth ¼ to ½ a silver *paṇa* (say *3d.* to *6d.*) the penalties prescribed were (1) a fine of 6 *paṇas*, or (2) shaving the head, or (3) exile. If the value was between 1 *paṇa* and 2 *paṇas*, the penalties were (1) a fine of 24 *paṇas*, (2) shaving the head with a piece of brick, or (3) exile. The operation with the brick must have been extreme torture, a terrible punishment for a trivial theft. The value of the silver *paṇa* (146 grains of impure silver) may be taken as about a shilling.