Analyze the features of the Mauryan municipal administration as recorded by Megasthenes: 1. The city administration of Pataliputra was managed by a municipal board consisting of thirty members divided into six committees of five members each. 2. Maintenance of foreign visitors, registration of births and deaths, and collection of sales tax were among the primary duties assigned to these committees. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Both statements are accurate reflections of Megasthenes' account preserved in classical Greek fragments regarding the efficient bureaucratic apparatus of Pataliputra. The municipal board handled specialized portfolios ranging from industrial arts and foreign affairs to trade regulation and tax collection on manufactured goods. This centralized municipal system ensured urban sanitation, public safety, and economic oversight across major urban centers of the Mauryan empire.