The Mauryan Polity c13.s6.1

c13.s6.1

On the fortification of Pāṭaliputra says Otto Stein:—"The fragments of Megasthenes refer to Pāṭaliputra and its fortification. In the *Arthaśāstra* however there is no mention of Pāṭaliputra."¹ Megasthenes also speaks of several cities situated on the banks of rivers or on the sea-coast built of wood instead of brick and of cities on other commanding situations built of brick and mud.² Strabo on the other hand mentions wooden buildings all round, which is not a fact. Rhys Davids³ speaks of fortifications in India built of stone walls in the 6th century B.C. Kauṭalya refers unmistakably to walls of stone. Therefore Strabo could not be credited with full knowledge of facts about India. There were certainly wooden portions in the buildings. This is true even of houses built to-day. N. N. Law has shown that houses of wood were indeed common in the fourth century B.C. side by side with stone.