The State in Ancient India: A Study in the Structure and Practical Working of Political Institutions in North India in Ancient Times c17.147

c17.147

Defence. By the time of Yuan Chwang’s visit, the cavalry had gone up to 100,000 and the elephant corps to the staggering figure of 60,000. From a passage in Harṣacarita it appears that there was also a camel corps. As usual, other princes in ancient India also commanded big armies. For instance, Kumâra of Kâmarûpa visited Harṣa with 20,000 elephants. It is clear from Bâṇa that Harṣa acquired a good many elephants as tribute or presents. Horses were imported from Western regions such as Sindh, modern Afghânistân and Persia. Besides the regular military officers there were a number of superintendents of soldiers’ barracks. A huge staff or fodderers, grooms and superintendents managed the royal stables.¹ Speaking of a North-western state, Yuan states that troops were levied according to requirements, that recruitment was done by public proclamation and that rewards were promised. A select body of guards were recruited from heroes of choice valour, a sort of hereditary military aristocracy.² Some difficulty was experienced in maintaining internal order and security in the seventh century. Soldiers were requisitioned to perform police functions. On his way back, the Chinese pilgrim was provided with a military escort. He has left it on record that the military, besides guarding the frontier, went out to punish the refractory and mounted guard at night round the palace.³ Towns, even of a small size, appear to have been often enclosed by walls, though these were far from impregnable. Soon after the death of Harṣa, a retributive Tibetan expedition sent by Srong-tsan Gampo is said to have captured 580 walled towns. Many of these could hardly have been much larger than villages.¹