The Mahajanapadas

We have seen how the Aryans, being nomads travelled all the way from the Caucasus Mountain Ranges to the Indian Sub-Continent. After reaching India they started making settlements. Starting from north-west India from where they entered India. They had then further made settlements near Doab region where Ganges and Jamuna rivers meet. From there on, they made settlements all the way to north-east India along the banks of River Ganges. The Aryans of the Eurasia settled in India for long enough to become more Indian than European. These Indo-Aryan population, popularly called in Sanskrit as 'Jana' involved in conflicts while making their own living(In terms of farming land or cattle, animals etc.,). These are:

1. Conflicts among themselves 
2. Conflicts with the Dravidians   

After continued conflicts they gradually started cooperating with each other and formed communities and so on so forth. They no longer lived as simple tribes in a group of villages. They formed themselves into kingdoms and republics. Of which 16 major settlements are referred to in many Buddhist and Jain texts. These are called 'Mahajanapadas' , literally meaning 'Foothold of the People'. Of these 16, some of them were ruled by a King(Monarch) and some were ruled by group of persons(Oligarchy). The settlements on the north-western side of India are called Republics and ones on the north-eastern side are referred as Kingdoms.  Major differences being that:

Republic

A republic is that form of government in which power in held by the people or a group of elected persons or an elected chief. There is no hereditary king. In the ancient republics, it was the kshatriya families who owned the land and who also had political power and were represented in the tribal assembly. This is the reason why some historians prefer to call this type of government 'oligarchy' the rule of the chosen few, as the non-kshatriyas were not represented in the assembly. 

Further, particularly in this case the Republics were comparatively smaller settlements. They had smaller population, smaller territory, smaller armies and had limited agriculture and limited resources(rivers, forests and rich soils). Possibilities of Trade was however significantly high with Persia, Mesopotamia(Iran) and Greeks being geographically close. These north-western republics were great sources of Trade and Commerce.

After the 600 B.C, warfare and conquests have become common and whichever kingdom had the control of the north-west, by default prospered with Trade opportunities. More over, being a trade and commercial sites, the north-western population grew out to become less racist and developed open mindsets about culture and religion. As a result, less caste regimentation. 

Kingdom

On the other hand, Kingdoms were ruled by Monarch. The throne would usually be passed on as a hereditary right. 

Besides that, these are vast settlements. Larger populations, large territories with rich resources like forests, rivers and rich soils specifically along the Ganges plains. They were more than self-sufficient. They had limited trade and commerce opportunities. They grew out to be more religion oriented, more defensive. They are militaristic and expansionistic. This was supported by their large armies and bureaucracies. 

More often than not, the religion and government went hand in hand with mutual influences with Brahmans having upper hand in the Government. Due to the caste regimentation, which was born out of religion, there was severe social stratification. Meaning: Brahmans will be the priests/gurus or rulers (in some cases), Ksatriya will be the ruling class, Vaishyas will be the agriculturalists/traders and Sudras will be the cleaners. Nothing otherwise can happen as per the religion. 

This is followed until the coming of Mahapadma Nanda of Nanda dynasty (First sudra king of The Magadha Empire). 

Further, the king was associated with divine nature since the kingdoms were built based on religion. Great architecture in the form of Temples and forts is seen here. Great sacrifices/rituals like the Aswamedha yaga (As described in Yajur veda) were also performed.

These 16 Mahajanapadas are listed below. Kashi  Koshala and Magadha were the most powerful out of the 16 Mahajanapadas. In a struggle for supremacy that followed in the sixth/fifth century BC, the growing state of the Magadhas emerged as the most predominant power in ancient India, annexing several of the Mahajanapadas including Kashi and Kohala after a bitter battle(By King Ajatasatru). Following are the 16 mahajanapadas with respect to their famous contacts with the Magadhas at one time or the other. 

• Anga
• It was also a great center of trade and commerce and its merchants regularly sailed to distant Suvarnabhumi. Anga was annexed by Magadha in the later periods.

• Avanti
• The country of the Avantis was an important kingdom of western India and was one of the four great monarchies in India in the post era of Mahavira and Buddha. The other three being Kosala, Vatsa and Magadha. King Nandivardhana of Avanti was defeated by king Shishunaga of Magadha. Avanti later became part of the Magadhan empire.

• Gandhara
• The wool of the Gandharis is referred to in the Rigveda. The Gandharas and their king figure prominently as strong allies of the Kurus against the Pandavas in the Mahabharata war. The Gandharas were a furious people, well-trained in the art of war. 

• Kamboja
• The Kambojans and Gandharans, never came into direct contact with the Magadhan state until Chandragupta and Kautiliya arose on the scene. 

• Kashi
• The kingdom Kosala was ruled by the famous king Prasenjit during the era of Mahavira and Buddha followed by his son Vidudabha. King Prasenjit was highly educated. His position was further improved by a matrimonial alliance with Magadha: his sister was married to Bindhusara and part of Kashi was given as dowry. 

• Kosala
• Its territory corresponded to the modern Awadh (or Oudh) in Central and Eastern Uttar Pradesh. It had the river Ganges for its southern, the river Gandak (Narayani) for its eastern, and the Himalaya mountains for its northern boundary. It finds mention as the center of Vedic Dharma. Its kings allied with the Devatas in various wars against the Daityas, Rakshas, and Asuras. Koshala and Ayodhya hold a central place in the Hindu scriptures, Itihas, and Purana. Raghuvansha-Ikshvakuvansha was the longest continuous dynasty; Lord Rama was a king in this dynasty. Other great kings were Prithu, Harishchandra, Dilip, who find mention in different Puranas, Ramayan, and Mahabharat. According to these texts, Koshala was the most powerful and biggest kingdom ever in the recorded history.  Kosala was ultimately merged into Magadha when Vidudabha was Kosala's ruler. Ayodhya, Saketa, Banaras, and Sravasti were the chief cities of Kosala.

• Surasena
• Mathura, the capital of Surasena was also known at the time of Megasthenes(Greek traveller to Chandragupta Maurya's court) as the centre of Krishna worship. The Surasena kingdom had lost its independence on annexation by the Magadhan empire

• Vajji
• The Vajjians (Sanskrit Vṛjjī) included eight or nine confederated clans of whom the Licchhavis, the Videhans, the Jnatrikas and the Vajjis were the most important. Mithila (modern Janakpur in district of Tirhut) was the capital of Videha. It was in the time of king Janaka that Videha came into prominence. The last king of Videha was Kalara who is said to have perished along with his kingdom on account of his attempt on a Brahmin maiden. On the ruins of his kingdom arose the republics of the Licchhavis and Videhans and seven other small ones. The Licchavis were a very independent people. The mother of Mahavira was a Licchavi princess. The Licchavis were followers of Buddha. Buddha is said to have visited them on many occasions. They were closely related by marriage to the Magadhas.Vaishali, the headquarters of the powerful Vajji republic and the capital of the Licchavis was defeated by king Ajatasatru of Magadha. Magadha became the most powerful kingdom of all the Mahajanapadas.

• Magadha
• The Magadha was one of the most prominent and prosperous of mahajanapadas. The capital city Pataliputra( Patna, Bihar) was situated on the confluence of major rivers like Ganga, Son, Punpun and Gandak. The alluvial plains of this region and its proximity to the iron rich areas of Bihar and Jharkhand helped the kingdom to develop good quality weapons and support the agrarian economy. These factors helped Magadha to emerge as the most prosperous state of that period. The kingdom of the Magadhas roughly corresponded to the modern districts of Patna and Gaya in southern Bihar and parts of Bengal in the east. The capital city of Pataliputra was bound in the north by river Ganges, in the east by the river Champa, in the south by the Vindhya mountains and in the west by the river Sona. The other names for the city were Magadhapura, Brihadrathapura, Vasumati, Kushagrapura and Bimbisarapuri. It was an active center of Jainism in ancient times. The first Buddhist Council was held in Rajagriha in the Vaibhara Hills. Later on, Pataliputra became the capital of Magadha during Ajatasatru's reign.

• Vamsa or Vatsa
• Malla
• Matsya
• Kuru
• Assaka
• Chedi
• Panchala

Read further: The Mighty Magadha