Keywords
Veterinary Care
Arthasastra
War Horses
Animal Training
How to Cite
Abstract
The article explores the role of horses as an important military asset in the Mauryan period. It begins with tracing the presence and significance of horses across earlier historical periods such as the Harappan, Vedic and Buddhist era. Drawing on Kautilya’s Arthasāśtra, it examines not only the strategic use of horses in war but also explores the detailed guidelines regarding stable maintenance, animal health care, dietary habits, horse breeding, training and ethical treatment of horses during the Mauryan period. The article by linking ancient political theory with practices of animal domestication, offers a holistic perspective on the significance of horses in ancient Indian warfare.
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