The Arthashastra During 250 Bce

After reading the laws of land enforced from Kautilya from The Arthashastra during 250 BCE. The gender roles in this society were very segregated, each sex having a particular and defined role. Women played a significantly different role in society than western civilization women do today. The civilizations of the Maurya's law and way of lands come from the book the Arthashastra. It was written in Sanskrit, coming from the laws established by ruler Kautilya. Since this society from India was able to produce such a large and advanced book it shows that they had a type of language. A dominant language was established and forms of communication were achieved. Educational centers or places of learning had to be around in order to teach reading and writing of the language. Judging off the text it can be assumed that women were not educated, only men. The culture and society had to be advanced in order to write and produce such a lengthy book, containing rules, in which all of the people must live by.

A very strong emphasis was put toward marriage, the text states "Marriage is the basis of all disputes". There are many types of marriages, four traditional types passed down from ancestors include, giving a well adored virgin, a virgin for the joint performance of sacred duties by a man, exchanging a virgin for cows, and giving a virgin to the priest. The father, male role of the household, has to approve the type of trade that takes place, unless his virgin daughter is abducted. Often times money, goods, or services were used in is used in the trading off for a males virgin daughter. The trading off of human beings means that during this time period it is highly likely that they had slaves, and that slave trades were very common. The people living here had established a monetary system, and based things off of its value and worth. A system of trade had been established trade, meaning they had a surplus of not only food, but other object, women being considered objects and property. Bartering and negotiation was common and a skill that the men in this society obtained, the women were subjects and did not have a voice to speak up.

Young girls were considered to be "adults", as soon as they reached puberty. The age of physical maturity was twelve years old for females and sixteen years old for males. Girls were traded at such a young age in order to give them the maximum amount of time to attempt to give birth to sons. Since the women were continually trying to get pregnant, it shows that the culture was advances and wealthy enough to do without the women in the work force. Being able to have multiple children also means that men were financially secure enough to provide for their offspring. In my opinion, it is a very sick and twisted society that allows this type of behavior. The society and culture as a whole shows zero respect for the women, and shows no compassion towards their feelings and emotion. Men