Post-Mauryan Economy: Agrarian Economy, Urban Centres, Etc.!

Significant commercial expansion, urbanization, the emergence of strong guilds, and regional trade networks were characteristics of the Post-Mauryan economy (c. 200 BCE to 300 CE). Even though agriculture was still the main source of income, this dynamic era was greatly influenced by monetization, increased craft production, and Indo-Roman trade. According to accessible sources, the Mauryan economy was primarily a state-controlled economy with a strong agricultural base. Nonetheless, the post-Mauryan economy was distinct. We can analyse the two major Kushana and Satavahana economies to provide an overall understanding of the Post-Mauryan economy. The development of agriculture, local and international trade, as well as crafts and the arts, formed the foundation of the post-Mauryan economy. 

Post-Mauryan Economy is one of the most important topics in the UGC NET History syllabus and one or two questions are included from this section in the exam. So, in this article, we will study the Post-Mauryan Economy and its essential features for UGC NET History.

In this article the learners will be able to know the following: 

• Agrarian Economy in Post-Mauryan Period
• Urban Centres and Post-Mauryan Economy
• Crafts, Industries and Guilds
• Trade under Post-Mauryan Economy

Fig: Post Mauryan Economy

Agrarian Economy in Post-Mauryan Period

During the Post-Mauryan era (c. 200 BCE to 300 CE), the agrarian economy continued to be the backbone of economic activity despite the growth of trade and urbanization. The vast majority of people were still employed in agriculture, and land was still a crucial source of income. Under kings like the Satavahanas, agricultural production gradually increased as cultivable land expanded, frequently by clearing forests, particularly in the Deccan and eastern India. Land control and the collection of agricultural surplus were important functions of the state and local elites, such as kings, landlords, and religious organizations. During this time, land grants—often coupled with fiscal exemptions—became more widespread, especially to Brahmins and Buddhist monasteries.

Agriculture still relied heavily on irrigation, and mentions of wells, tanks, canals, and other water management systems point to initiatives to sustain farming in semi-arid areas. Rice, wheat, barley, sugarcane, cotton, and other crops were grown in large quantities, and excess produce fueled both local consumption and international trade. More productive farming methods were made possible by the use of iron tools and implements, particularly in the Deccan and the fertile Gangetic plains. Villages continued to be the fundamental units of agrarian life; they were frequently self-sufficient and structured according to caste and kinship divisions of labor.

In general, the Post-Mauryan agrarian economy saw gradual changes due to the emergence of land grants, a more distinct rural social hierarchy, and growing integration with larger commercial networks, even though it still maintained many characteristics of earlier eras. More intricate rural structures in later centuries, especially during the Gupta era, were made possible by these developments.

Interested in knowing other aspects of the Post-Mauryan Era? Explore Post-Mauryan Art and Architecture here!

Urbanisation reached its apex over the five centuries between 200 BC and AD 300; the trend started in the sixth century BC.

• Sculptures from the Gandhara and Mathura schools, as well as those of Sanchi and Bharhut, frequently depict urban life, illustrating the expansion of urban experience over all of India, including the Deccan and South.
• Taxila, which was closely connected to the neighbouring city of Pushkalavati, was the most significant city in the northwest.
  • Indo-Parthian kings expanded it and reinforced it with a stone wall. 
  • The layout of the city was grid-like since it was a planned metropolis with major motorways running north-south and smaller lanes flowing east-west. 
  • This city's planning clearly shows the influence of the Hellenistic style.
• Literary and archaeological evidence indicate that established cities like Sravasti, Kausambi, Varanasi, and Pataliputra have continued to develop. 
• Under Scytho-Parthian and Kushana administrations, the area around Mathura gained tremendous significance, particularly under the latter when it functioned as one of the main centres of both the Kushana Kingdom and Post-Mauryan economy.
• Burnt bricks were frequently used for construction during the Kushan occupation. 

Crafts, Industries and Guilds

The rise of strong regional kingdoms like the Shungas, Satavahanas, Kushanas, and others during the Post-Mauryan period (c. 200 BCE to 300 CE) significantly altered the Indian economy. Crafts, industries, and guilds all saw tremendous expansion during this time due to growing urban centers and thriving trade networks. As artisanal production grew more specialized and varied, high levels of refinement were attained by crafts like jewelry making, metalworking, ceramics, textile weaving, and ivory carving. Cities like Amaravati, Taxila, Ujjain, and Mathura became important centers of trade and production. The expansion of coinage, including cast and punch-marked coins, and the growing use of iron further bolstered commercial and industrial operations.

Shrenis, or guilds, were essential to the organization of economic life. In addition to enforcing fair wages, maintaining internal discipline, and regulating production standards, these professional associations of craftsmen, traders, and artisans also conducted banking and lending operations. Guilds had legal standing and frequently functioned with a high degree of autonomy under the direction of elected leaders. They also held communal property and made generous religious donations, particularly to Buddhism and Jain institutions, as seen in inscriptions at sites like Sanchi, Nasik, and Karle. These contributions demonstrate how closely the religious and economic domains were intertwined during this time. In addition to recognizing and taxing these guilds, the state occasionally worked with them on financial and administrative issues.

In general, craft production and trade were integrated with urban and religious life in the Post-Mauryan economy. An early example of organized economic activity in India, the growing prominence of guilds offered stability and aided in the subcontinent's overall urbanization and economic diversification.

Learn More about Shungas, the First Post-Mauryan Dynasty with Testbook!

Trade under Post-Mauryan Economy

The emergence of the Kushanas politically connected the main trade routes of north India with the northwest borderlands of the subcontinent as well as with the networks of Central Asia and West Asia.

• Two important ports in north India, Barbaricum at the estuary of the Indus River and Barygaza (Bhrgukaccha) at the mouth of the Narmada River in Gujarat, are mentioned eloquently in The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.
• Epigraphic evidence from the Kushana kingdom and its era mentions the terms "vanik" (a small trader), "sarthavaha" (a caravan trader), "vyavahari" (a trader), and "sreshthi" (a wealthy trader and head of a mercantile guild). 
• A Sreshthi is portrayed as one of the king's closest companions and allies in both the Jataka stories and the Pali canonical text. 
• Raja Sreshthi is mentioned just before the dominance of the Kushanas, during the reign of the Indo-Parthian king Gondophares. 
• The different names given to the various kinds of merchants clearly show their differences in social and economic standing. Some of the merchants were wealthy enough to give spectacular gifts.
• According to the Periplus, a specific market town was established at Kalliena (Kalyan, close to Bombay) during the reign of an early Satavahana ruler as a consequence of trade connections between the Deccan and the Roman Orient. 
• The Satavahana era's bustling trade along the western coast has been vividly described by Periplus. The ports of Barygaza, Kalyan, and Chaul were home to the Roman ships that were stationed.
• Kantokasylla and Allosygne on the Andhra coast were two major eastern seaboard ports in the Satavahana empire. 
• The Satavahana ship-type coins and an inscription from Ghantasal (75 km from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh) alluding to a Mahanavika attest to the significance of this coastal tract.
• The ancient trade route, the Nanaghat, was also significant in the Satavahana empire's economic operations. 
• Dhanyakataka functioned as an inland port town, up to which the Krishna could be navigated.

Conclusion

Material life of the Post-Mauryan economy was undoubtedly founded in agriculture and rural life, but crafts and commerce did contribute to the general agrarian environment. The non-agrarian component of the economy, which included trade output, centred on towns and cities. 

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Major takeaways for UGC NET Aspirants:-  Agrarian Economy in Post-Mauryan Period: Land grants and increased irrigation helped to sustain agricultural growth and rural stability, and the agrarian economy continued to be the main source of income during this time. Urban Centers and Post-Mauryan Economy: During the Post-Mauryan era, urban centers thrived as crucial centers for administration, trade, and cross-cultural interaction, which aided in economic diversification. Crafts, Industries, and Guilds: During this time, organized crafts and industries flourished, and guilds (śreṇīs) were essential in controlling trade, production, and the welfare of artisans. The Post-Mauryan era saw a significant expansion in both inland and maritime trade, with established routes linking India to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Mediterranean.

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Post Mauryan Economy Previous Year Questions

Q1. Which of these statements are correct regarding the Post‑Mauryan period?

Options A. The post‑Mauryan centuries saw a great spurt in the minting of coins
B. The kings of the northwest imitated Greek, Roman, and Iranian coin‑types
C. The increasing use of money did not drive out barter systems, particularly in rural areas, in the post‑Mauryan period
D. During the post‑Mauryas, diverse use of coins indicates variant trading economies
E. Gold coins—Nishka & Suvarna—and silver coins—Shatamana—were in use

Options:

1. A, B, C only
2. A, B, C, D only
3. A, C, D, E only
4. A, B, C, D, E only

Answer: Option 4: All (A), (B), (C), (D), (E) are correct