Late 2nd century BCE – Early 3rd century CE

Public Administration of the Satavahanas

When northern India was reeling under turmoil after the fall of the Mauryan Empire, a very powerful kingdom was formed by the Satavahanas, also known as Andhras, in Deccan covering parts of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. At the peak of their power, their kingdom also extended to parts of modern Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Karnataka. The Andhras were an ancient people described in the Aitareya Brahmana. They also find mentions in the Puranic lists of kings.^[1] The founder of this dynasty is known as Simuka and he ruled from 235 BCE to 213 BCE. During the Mauryan age, Satavahanas were part of the Mauryan Empire but it appears that immediately after the fall of the dynasty, the Andhras declared themselves free. The third ruler of this dynasty, Satakarni I performed two Ashvamedhayajna. On the strength of his extensive military conquest, he has been referred as Lord of Dakshinapath. The next powerful ruler of this dynasty was Gautamiputra Satakarni whose achievements are recorded in glowing terms in the Nasik inscription of his mother, Gautami Balasiri. Nearly all of his successors followed the example set by Gautamiputra Satakarni to bear a name from the mother, i.e. matronym. In the early 3rd century, when Abhiras took over present-day Maharashtra and Ikshvakus and Pallavas annexed the eastern provinces, four and a half centuries rule of the Satavahana dynasty came to an end.^[2]

According to the Greek historian Pliny, the Andhras were a powerful people with an army of one lakh infantry, two thousand cavalry, and one thousand elephants, as well as a large number of villages and thirty towns.^[3] To maintain such a large territory, the Satavahans kings appointed several ministers and executive officers to assist him in administration. From the coins and inscriptions of the Satavahana rulers, a few facts can be gleaned about the system of administration. The kingdom was divided into administrative divisions each under the ministers called Amatya. The village was the smallest unit governed by the headman. Unlike the Mauryans, Satavahana polity was not centralized as their provinces were granted much autonomy in the affairs of the administration. Besides as can be seen from the inscriptions of Satavahans, there were many officials assigned to perform specific administrative duties for the proper functioning of the state. Administrative officers included treasurers and stewards, goldsmiths and mint masters, record keepers, ushers, and ambassadors.^[4] Despite the vast extent of the Satavahana empire, its polity was simple and local administration was left largely to feudatories subject to the general control of royal officials.

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