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208 POLITICAL HISTORY OF ANCIENT INDIA
High Officers, dismissing those who advised him badly and rewarding those whose advice he approved of. The result of the 'purge' was the emergence of the type of official represented by Vassakara and Sunitha. The High Officers (Rajabhata) were divided into several classes; viz., (1) Sabbatthaka (the officer in charge of general affairs), (2) Sena-nayaka Mahamattas (generals), and (8) Voharika Makāmattas (judges). 2 The Vinaya texts afford us a glimpse of the activities of these Mahāmātras, and the rough and ready justice meted out to criminals. Thus we have reference not only to imprisonment in jails (kūrā), but also to punishment by scourging (kasā), branding, beheading, tearing out the tongue, breaking ribs, etc. There seems to have been a fourth class of mahāmātras who were responsible like the village syndic and headmen (gramabhojaka or gramakuṭa) for the levy of the tithe on produce.R
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In provincial administration a considerable degree of autonomy was allowed. We hear not only of a sub-king at Champa, but of mandalika rājās corresponding perhaps to the earls and counts of mediaeval European polity. But Bimbisāra, like William the Conqueror, sought to check the centrifugal tendencies of the system by a great gemote of village headmen (gramikas) who are said to have assembled from the 80,000 townships of the realm.
Measures were taken for the improvement of communications and the foundation of a new royal residence. Yuan Chwang (Hiuen Tsang) refers to Bimbisara's road and causeway, and says that when Kuśāgrapura
I Chullavagga of the Vinaya pitaka, VII. 3. 5. See also Vinaya, I. 73; 74 f. 207, 240.
-2 Another judicial officer mentioned in Pali texts, (Kindred Sayings, II. 172) is the Vinichchay-amachchs.
3 Camb. Hist. I. 199.
4 DPPN, II. 898.
