Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c7.305

c7.305

The *sabhā* and the *samiti* of these Vedic republics bear a striking similarity in power, position, functions and composition to the Roman Senate and *comitia* of the republican period. The *sabhā* further resembles the *boule* of the Greek city-states though it was comparatively dissimilar to the Athenian *boule*, which elected its members each year, whereas the *sabhyas* appear to have held office for life. The *samiti* had its counterpart not only in the Roman Senate, but also in the Athenian *ecclesia* and the assemblies of other Greek republics with the exception of Sparta. We cannot carry these parallels too far as we know comparatively little of the Vedic *sabhā* and *samiti*. The rarity and obscurity of the references, especially in later Vedic texts indicate that democratic principles, political philosophy and republican institutions did not inspire the Indian mind as they did that of their western cousins.