Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c3.1

c3.1

India has long been proud of the republican institutions which existed in various regions of the Subcontinent in early times. These oligarchic or republican communities survived down to the Gupta period, and from time to time played an important part in the politics of northern India. Much has already been written about them, some of it very valuable, but some rather tendentious, prompted by an attempt to make ancient India appear as close to twentieth century ideals as possible.