Prinsep and Piyadassi

Prinsep and Piyadassi

James Prinsep was a British Official who deciphered the Brahmi and Kharosthi script in the 1830s. Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts were used in the past in different inscriptions and coins. These scripts mentioned and referred to the king as Piyadassi. The Piyadassi is used to a meaning of “pleasant to behold”. It is believed that these scripts say about the Samrat Ashoka. Now, scholars investigate to find out the connections between the political, economic, and Social developments through this script....

The Earliest States

The subpart of The Earliest States generally consists of The Sixteen Mahajanpadas and First amongst the Sixteen as mentioned below....

First Amongst the Sixteen – Magadha Mahajanapada

The Magadha was located in the present Bihar which was the most powerful Mahajanapada. The Magadha was famous for its productive agriculture. There were so many iron mines which made it more accessible and a resourceful location. The initial capital of the Magadha was Rajgir. Their capital was shifted to Pataliputra which was located along the river Ganga. Bimbisara, Ajatasattu, and Mahapadma Nanda were the famous and ambitious kings of this Mahajanapada....

An Early Empire

Maurys Empire was the early empire that was established by Chandragupta Maurya. It was the first kingdom of India that covered the whole of ancient India with Afghanistan and Iraq. Chanakya was the kingmaker who made the Maurya kingdom more strong with its political knowledge....

New Notions of Kingship

There were so many new towns and kingdoms emerged in the Deccan and South. They were stable kingdoms and prosperous. The included kingdoms are Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas. There are so many Sangam Texts that tell about these kingdoms. At this time, the Saka Era started and they established the kingdom in the northwestern regions of India. In the same time frame, the Satavahanas ruled the central India. The divine kings also ruled the Central Asia to Northwest India like Kushans....

A Changing Countryside

The jatakas were written in the Pali language in the middle of the first millennium CE. The Panchatantra talks about the social and economic structure of this time. The use of iron increased production in every sector. The technologies increased production which benefited the different sectors of the economy. The landlords emerged as the powerful figures who controlled the cultivators. The Sangam Texts also mentioned the landlords imposed different categories for the village people....

Towns And Trade

The new cities and urban center developments were included in the Mahajanapadas. There were some communication routes developed where Pataliputra became the major riverine route. Ujjayini held the major land routes which were near the coast. Elites and craft persons evolved in the second century BCE which has been found in the inscription....

Back to Basics: How are Inscriptions Deciphered?

The process of deciphering ancient inscriptions, such as those in Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts, has been a complex and painstaking task for historians. European scholars, assisted by Indian pandits, worked backward from contemporary scripts like Bengali and Devanagari to compare and decode older specimens. James Prinsep’s work in deciphering Asokan Brahmi in 1838 was a significant breakthrough. Deciphering Kharosthi, used in the northwest, involved comparing coins with Greek and Kharosthi scripts, aiding in identifying the language as Prakrit....

The Limitations of Inscriptional Evidence

Epigraphy, while valuable, has its limitations in revealing historical truths. Technical challenges like faintly engraved letters and damaged inscriptions make reconstructions uncertain. Additionally, understanding the exact meanings of words used in inscriptions can be challenging, as some may be specific to particular times or places. Despite the discovery of several thousand inscriptions, not all have been deciphered, published, or translated, and many may have been lost to time. Moreover, inscriptions often focus on grand events and perspectives of those who commissioned them, neglecting routine aspects of life and diverse viewpoints....

Kings, Farmers and Towns Early States and Economies- FAQs

What are the early states Class 12 history?...