The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c12.13

c12.13

the districts he passed through. His observations apply only to North India and particularly to Magadha. Megasthenes’s account of Indian castes is professedly reproduced by Diodorus,¹ Arrian,² Strabo³ and Pliny,⁴ who, however, differ in details. They all agree in summarising that according to Magasthenes, the population of India was divided into seven castes. The Philosophers, though inferior in numbers, prevailed over all “in point of dignity.” Exempt from public duties, they were neither the masters nor the servants of others, but engaged themselves in performing sacrifices for others and foretelling the future. The second caste, consisting of the husbandmen, ‘far more numerous than the others,’ were likewise exempt from ‘fighting and other public services.’ They devoted the whole of their time to tillage and entirely avoided going into towns. “The third class consists of the neat-herds and shepherds and, in general, of all herdsmen, who neither settle in towns nor in villages, but live in tents.” “The fourth class consists of the artisans. Of these some are armourers, while others make the implements which husbandmen and others find useful in their different callings,” says Arrian. “This class is not only exempted from paying taxes, but even receives maintenance from the royal exchequer.” Strabo, however, enumerates several sub-divisions of the fourth class. It “consists of those who work as traders, of those who send wares, and of those who are employed in bodily labour. Some of them pay tribute and render to the state certain prescribed services. But the armour-makers and ship-builders receive wages and their victuals from the king, for whom alone they work . . . .” The fifth class, second in point of numbers, consisted of fighting men, who, when not engaged in war, gave themselves up to idleness and amusement. “The sixth class consists of the overseers. It is their province to inquire into and superintend all that goes on in India, . . .” (Arrian.) “The seventh caste consists of the councillors and assessors—of those who deliberate on public affairs. It is the smallest class, looking to number, but the most respected, on account of the high character and the wisdom of its members; for from their ranks the advisers of the king are taken, and the treasurers of the state, and the arbiters who settle disputes. The generals of the army also, and the chief magistrates, usually belong to this class. . . . No one is allowed to marry out of his own caste or follow an art except his own: for instance, a soldier cannot become a husbandman or an artisan a philosopher.” (Arrian.)