Sixteen Mahajanapadas

The sixth century BC was not only a period of socio-economic and religious development but it also witnessed new political developments. In the later Vedic period, people had started agriculture, which made them settle down at a particular place.

These permanent settlements led to foundation of janapadas or territorial states under the control of the king. In the sixth century BC, the main area of political activity gradually shifted from Western UP to Eastern UP and Bihar. This region was not only fertile on account of better rainfall and river systems but was also closer to iron production centres.

The use of better iron tools and weapons enabled some territorial states to become very large and they came to be called mahajanapadas. Most of them were situated north of Vindhyas, between Bihar in the east to the northwest frontier of the subcontinent.

Most of these states were monarchical in nature but some of them, called ganasangha, had an oligarcharical system of governance. In this system unlike monarchies, where a hereditary king rules, administration was run by an elected king with the help of a large council or assemblies comprising heads of all important clans and families. This system was certainly more democratic than monarchy, though the common man had no participation in the administration.

The most important of these states was that of Vajjis with their capital at Vaishali, which was ruled by the Lichchhavis. These oligarchies mainly existed in the foothills of the Himalayas. They were gradually defeated and conquered by the Magadhan Empire.