[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [The Mauryan Polity](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1932) › c13.s2.1 # The Mauryan Polity c13.s2.1 The Mauryan Polity c13.s2.1 - **Language:** English ### [c13.s2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1932.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 - [Previous: c13.s1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1932.c13.s1.3) - [Next: c13.s2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1932.c13.s2.2) - [Up: c13.s2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1932.c13.s2) ## Cites (1) - [Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.artha.kautilya) — Kauṭilya, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1932.c13.s2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.dikshitar-1932.c13.s2.1) · Pramāṇa