The Mauryan Polity c8.s2.t3.4

c8.s2.t3.4

These were not all. The Negama coins¹ and the coins bearing the name of towns, for example, *Ujeniya*,² which were taken to be coins issued by the merchant guilds are possibly coins which the *Paura* got minted at the capital on behalf of the city. For the *Śreṇi* or the merchant guild was a sub-committee of the *Naigama* which is a synonym for the *Paura*.³ The *Arthaśāstra* shows that the *Jānapada* too had the coins struck at the royal mint.⁴ It is said that a king of small treasure would be a nuisance to the *Paura-Jānapada*.⁵ From the fact that these assemblies are frequently referred to in connection with taxation, it is reasonable to assume that these assemblies exercised some control over taxation. Any additional tax was to be sanctioned by them. Kauṭalya says that the king had to beg of the *Paura* and the *Jānapada* towards this end.⁶