Republics in Ancient India, c. 1500 B.C.–500 B.C. c9.s4.114

c9.s4.114

Under normal conditions the Licchavian council must have smoothly carried out the task of administration without calling emergency meetings of the Assembly. But it is impossible to think of an idle Assembly when their republic was constantly under the clouds of war with their southern neighbour, the Kingdom of Magadha. We would think that during the long struggle between the Vajjians and the Magadhans both the Council and Assembly met frequently, with the Council consulting more often. The continuous state of emergency and war must have increased the importance of the measures of the Licchavian Assembly much as the Roman Senate increased in power and prestige during the period of the Punic Wars and the subsequent campaigns in Greece and the East.