Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c15.170

c15.170

**Town-Planning, Architecture, and Art.** According to the Greek writers, the Panjab in these days was full of towns which were no doubt the centres of industry and economic prosperity. Many of these figure as forts or centres of defence, such as the famous Massaga (Maśakāvatī) or Aornos (Varaṇā) in the country of the Aśvakas already referred to. The free clan called the Glaussai had as many as 37 towns in their territory, while there were as many as 5,000 towns in the territories of the other peoples, the Malloi, Oxydrakai, and others. "The smallest of these towns contained not less than 5,000 inhabitants, while many contained upwards of 10,000. Some of the villages were not less populous than towns" [McCrindle's *Invasion of India by Alexander*, p. 112]. According to Strabo [*Ib.*] in the territories of 9 nations between the Jhelum and the Beas there were as many as 500 cities.