crucial from the point of view of the formation of local and regional states.
Even a recent work which stresses the decline of early urban centres as a
necessary background for the emergence of early medievalism, does not fail
to note that the period seems to have been particularly important for the rise
of new states or kingdoms. Leaving out the imperial state of the Guptas, in
this period, we can count sixty-nine states spread all over the country. Out of
these, forty-eight could be attributed to Maharashtra, eastern Madhya
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Bengal. In a way, the area in which
these states are found, formed a continuous zone with gaps. A good part of
the zone was a forested plateau largely included in the Vindhyan region.
Gupta Proto-Feudal Polity
Socio-economic Backdrop The Gupta age was a period of economic
expansion, promoted by grants of land to enterprising brahmins in
inhospitable and virgin tracts in central India, Deccan and south India. The
period saw a marked growth of private property in land, recognised by the
law-books and attested by actual sale and purchase of land with gold coins.
The economic prosperity of the ruling class is indicated by so many gold
coins as do not belong to any other dynasty of ancient India. The use of gold
currency strengthened traders and rich artisans, with whose guilds, cash
endowments in gold were occasionally deposited. Despite a decrease in
foreign trade and urban decline, guilds continued to take part in the economic
and administrative set-up of Gupta times, in several towns.
Political Backdrop For a total picture of political organisation in Gupta
times, we have to bear in mind, the presence of numerous dynasties
throughout the length and breadth of the country. Allowing for an element of
exaggeration in the account of Harisena, a good many of them were
subjugated by Samudragupta, and certainly, western India was conquered by
Chandragupta II. Conquests of distant regions made it necessary to evolve
some kind of feudatory organisation. In contrast to the Mauryas, the Gupta
kings adopted pompous titles such as paramesvara, maharajadhiraja,
paramabhattaraka, which signify the existence of lesser kings in their