The
Military Might of the Mauryan Empire
HBeing a great power militarily is
essential in order for an empire to be able to expand and remain sound
internally. One must have a strong army to increase the size of his
borders; most peoples are not willing to give up their land without some
sort of struggle or resistance. Internally, having a military is essential
for keeping the peace. It is especially important once the empire continues
to expand, as its people become more diverse culturally. The more cultures
that become conquered, the less of a sense of allegience there is to the
conquering empire. The military enables a ruler to prevent and stop rebellions,
and enforce his laws and allegiance. Having a strong military is also important
for defense. There is always a threat of invasion, as outside groups try
to gain territory and power. Therefore, having an exceptually strong military
is the core for the expansion and upkeep of a large empire.
The Mauryans seemed to have no problem with this
requirement of large empires. They certainly had one of the greatest military
powers their time. Estimates differ from one source to the next but the
army of Chandragupta Maurya is estimated to have had:
Elephants
|
~9000
|
Chariots
|
~8000
|
Cavalry
|
~30,000
|
Infantry
|
~600,000 to 700,000
|
With such a large army, it is not terribly difficult to understand
exactly how the empire was able to amass such a large territory. The
first three emperors of the Mauryan Empire: Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara
Maurya, and Ashoka Maurya, were all able to add substantial amounts of land
to the empire.