State and Government in Ancient India c16.78

c16.78

One Rāshtrakūṭa record refers to an officer who is described as a marvel in training horses.¹ It is clear that the training of the fighting forces was the special duty of a section of the army officers. Not much training must have been required in the case of *maula* or hereditary forces, which formed the crack divisions of the ancient Indian army. In their case fighting was the hereditary profession and soldiers were paid by assignment of villages. Other soldiers however received payment sometimes daily sometimes, monthly, sometimes after three months, and sometimes after six months (*Mānasollāsa*, II. 6. 568-9).