State and Government in Ancient India c22.s4.t4.8

c22.s4.t4.8

Greek historians refer to a number of cities in the Punjab which were governed by their own magistrates. They are called Nāgarakas in the *Arthaśāstra* and *Nagalaviyohālakas* in Aśoka’s inscriptions. They were exercising executive, revenue and judicial functions. They had to keep a watch over inns, *serais* and places of entertainments, especially to find out the arrival of foreigners and persons of bad character. Superintendents of trade and commerce, weights and measures worked under them. Stringent action was taken against persons committing nuisance, throwing rubbish on roads, or helping the outbreak of fire by their negligent action.² For administrative purposes, cities were divided into a number of wards. The city had its own court of justice, where the judge was assisted by a number of non-official jurors. In some big cities like Pāṭaliputra, the City Superintendent was, according to Megasthenes, assisted by a board of thirty members divided into five sub-committees, whose functions have been already described earlier p. 223. Some cities like Taxila, Tripuri and Ujjayini enjoyed the privilege of issuing their own coins, a number of which have been discovered.