Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c12.s2.10

c12.s2.10

For a tribal name to be adopted as a professional one is by no means unique as it has its parallels in the Māgadhas and the Videhas, whom Manu treats as professional groups.⁸ That these were two ancient tribes is unquestionable. Similar is the case of the Ahīrs of today, the Ābhīras of earlier times. When the word Malla occurs in the pre-Buddhist literature it may apply to the Mallas as a tribe and as professional wrestlers at the same time.⁹