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Political History of Ancient India
PART II
From the Coronation of Bimbisāra to the Extinction of the
Gupta Dynasty
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION.
SECTION I. FOREWORD.
The following pages deal with the political history of India from the time of Bimbisāra to that of the Guptas. For this period we are fortunately in possession of authentic historical materials in addition to literary tradition to which reference has already been made in the first part of the book. These materials are derived principally from the following sources : inscriptions, coins, accounts left by foreign observers and works of Indian authors of known date and authenticity.
Inscriptions engraved on stone and copper undoubtedly form the most copious and important source. Hardly less important are the coins which constitute almost the sole evidence of the history of certain dynasties and republican communities of the second and first centuries B. C. Foreign accounts, especially the records of Greek diplomats and navigators and of Chinese annalists and pilgrims, are especially valuable in connection with the vexed question of Indian chronology. Works of Indian writers of known epochs, that illumine the darkness of our period, and afford interesting glimpses of political history, are extremely rare and comprise the Mahābhāshya (Great Commentary) of Patañjali, the
