The sixteen Mahajanapadas, the Buddha and Mahavira

How it was ruled

Sixteen great states (mahajanapadas), some ruled by kings and some, like the Vajji confederacy, by assemblies (ganas). Magadha conquered its rivals under Bimbisara, Ajatashatru and the Nanda kings.

How people lived

Cities such as Rajagriha, Shravasti, Kaushambi and Ujjain grew. New religious teachers questioned ritual and caste; monasteries and lay followers spread their ideas.

What people did

Farming with iron tools produced surpluses; guilds of craftsmen and merchants grew; armies and officials were paid with taxes.

What people ate

Rice became a staple in the east; milk products, pulses, sugarcane and fruit.

Trade

Silver punch-marked coins appeared; trade routes linked the Ganga plains with Gandhara in the north-west and the Deccan in the south.

Region by region

• Bihar: Magadha, with capitals at Rajagriha and later Pataliputra (Patna); the Buddha's enlightenment at Bodh Gaya.
• Uttar Pradesh: Kosala and Kashi; the Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2026).
• Madhya Pradesh: Avanti, with its capital at Ujjain.
• Gandhara and Punjab (today's Pakistan): Taxila was a centre of learning; in 326 BCE Alexander of Macedon fought King Porus on the Jhelum.

Key events

• 6th–5th century BCE: Teachings of the Buddha and Mahavira
• c. 345 BCE: The Nanda dynasty rules Magadha
• 326 BCE: Alexander's army reaches the Beas and turns back

Legacy

Buddhism and Jainism, and the idea of non-violence (ahimsa), remain central to India's culture.