The Mauryan Polity c13.s2.1

c13.s2.1

Secondly, the following are the remarks of Megasthenes on the milestones¹: "They (Agoranomen) construct roads, and at every ten stadia set up a pillar to show the bye-roads and distances." In the opinion of Schwanbeck,² the *schoenus* which with Eratosthenes coincides with the Indian measurement of distance, *yojana*, is a measure of 40 stadia of four *krośas*. While we do not meet with the term *krośa* as an official measurement in the *Arthaśāstra*, the term is not unknown to Aśokan inscriptions. According to the seventh Pillar Edict of Aśoka at intervals of eight *kos* the roads were marked by trees and fountains of water.³ Mile-stones might have been used or might not have been used. It may be as Stein suggests that Megasthenes has imported the Persian or Egyptian idea into India.⁴ If this were established it would not detract the value of the *Arthaśāstra* which portrays a state of affairs actually obtaining in the land. It, on the other hand, tends to reduce the intrinsic value of Megasthenes' writings on India.⁵