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Available courses

History of Ancient India (Stone Age to Mauryan Empire)

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Syllabus: Ancient India (Stone Age to Mauryan Empire)

Unit I: Prehistoric India and the Stone Age

  1. Introduction to Prehistory
    • Definition and Importance of Prehistoric Studies
    • Sources of Prehistoric Studies: Archaeological Evidence, Tools, Pottery, and Fossils
  2. Stone Age Cultures
    • Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age)
      • Tools and Technology
      • Social and Economic Life: Hunter-Gatherers
      • Important Sites: Bhimbetka, Soan Valley, Narmada Valley
    • Mesolithic Age (Middle Stone Age)
      • Transition from Paleolithic to Mesolithic
      • Microliths and Subsistence Strategies
      • Sites and Developments: Bagor, Adamgarh
    • Neolithic Age (New Stone Age)
      • Agricultural Beginnings and Settled Life
      • Tools and Pottery: Groundstone Axes, Wheels, Weaving
      • Key Neolithic Sites: Mehrgarh, Burzahom, Chirand
  3. Chalcolithic Cultures
    • Early Use of Copper
    • Sites: Ahar, Jorwe, Kayatha

Unit II: The Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Civilization)

  1. Introduction to the Indus Valley Civilization
    • Discovery and Importance of Harappan Sites
    • Geographical Spread: Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira, Lothal
  2. Features of the Civilization
    • Town Planning and Urbanization
      • Drainage Systems, Granaries, Citadels
    • Architecture: Buildings, Seals, Artifacts
    • Social and Economic Life: Occupations, Trade, Agriculture
    • Religion and Beliefs: Nature Worship, Seals
    • Script and Language: Indus Script and its Mysteries
  3. Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization
    • Theories and Hypotheses: Ecological and External Factors
  4. Legacy of the Harappan Civilization

Unit III: Vedic Age and Early Historic India

  1. The Vedic Age (c. 1500 – 600 BCE)
    • Early Vedic Period (Rig Vedic Period)
      • Arrival of Aryans and Settlement in the Sapta-Sindhu Region
      • Social, Economic, and Religious Life: Pastoralism, Cattle Economy
      • Political Organization: Tribal Assemblies (Sabha, Samiti)
      • Literature: Rig Veda
    • Later Vedic Period
      • Transition to Agriculture and the Expansion into the Ganga-Yamuna Doab
      • Emergence of Varna System and Social Hierarchies
      • Changes in Religious and Economic Life
      • Literature: Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda
  2. Rise of Kingdoms and the Mahajanapadas (c. 600 – 300 BCE)
    • Emergence of Sixteen Mahajanapadas: Magadha, Koshala, Vatsa, Avanti
    • Political and Economic Conditions of the Mahajanapadas
    • Urbanization and Trade: Development of Towns
    • Rise of Monarchies and Republics (Ganarajya)
  3. Religious Movements in 6th Century BCE
    • Jainism: Mahavira and his Teachings
    • Buddhism: Gautama Buddha, Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path
    • Spread of Jainism and Buddhism and their Impact on Society
  4. Persian and Greek Invasions
    • Influence of Achaemenid Empire
    • Alexander’s Invasion (326 BCE) and its Impact on Northwestern India

Unit IV: The Mauryan Empire

  1. Foundation of the Mauryan Empire
    • Rise of the Magadhan Empire: From Bimbisara to Nanda Dynasty
    • Chandragupta Maurya: Accession and the Role of Chanakya
    • Political and Military Expansion: Conquest of Northwestern India
    • Administration under Chandragupta: Centralized Bureaucracy, Arthashastra
  2. Reign of Ashoka
    • Early Expansion and the Kalinga War (261 BCE)
    • Ashoka's Conversion to Buddhism
    • Ashoka's Dhamma and its Spread
    • Rock Edicts, Pillar Inscriptions, and Architecture
    • Ashoka's Contributions to Buddhism and Indian Culture
  3. Mauryan Administration
    • Centralized Governance: Role of Council of Ministers, Provinces, and Spy System
    • Economy: Revenue System, Trade Routes, Agricultural Development
    • Military and Diplomatic Relations
    • Foreign Relations: Contact with Hellenistic World
  4. Decline of the Mauryan Empire
    • Causes of Decline: Economic Strain, Weak Successors
    • Post-Mauryan Political Fragmentation
  5. Cultural Contributions of the Mauryas
    • Art and Architecture: Stupas, Pillars, Caves (Sanchi, Barabar Hills)
    • Spread of Indian Culture in South and Southeast Asia

References and Suggested Readings:

  1. A.L. Basham - The Wonder That Was India
  2. R.S. Sharma - India's Ancient Past
  3. Upinder Singh - A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India
  4. Romila Thapar - Ashoka and the Decline of the Mauryas
  5. D.D. Kosambi - An Introduction to the Study of Indian History
  6. F.R. Allchin - The Archaeology of Early Historic South Asia