Economy of the Satavahanas
At its zenith, the Satavahana empire extended from the Bay of Bengal in the east to the Arabian Sea in the west and embraced the entire region between the Narmada in the north to the Krishna in the south.
Satavahana Coins
Although agriculture was the main occupation of the people, the State economy appears
to have depended more on industry and trade. The officers were probably paid in money. The word rajakheta (fields of the king) indicates that the king was not the owner of the entire land in the kingdom. The Mykadoni inscription of Pulamavi III suggests that during the last stages of the dynasty, the Generals functioned as feudal lords. The only land grant during this period is recorded in the Allur (Krishna Dt.) Inscription.The landlords themselves looked into the needs of agriculture. The State might have collected the traditional one-sixth as land revenue. The prosperity of the gahapathis is revealed in the innumerable donations they made to the Buddhist institutions.
Inscriptions of the Satavahana period give the impression that several industries were in a prosperous condition, especially those of pottery, carpentry, textiles, mining and metallurgy. Ptolemy pays glowing tribute to the textile industry of Maisolia region.
Each of the crafts organized itself into a sreni under the leadership of a sreshti. The sreni regulated the activities of its members and looked after their welfare. Srenis provided banking services and also undertook social activities. The Sreni wielded a great influence with the State and the srenidharma had the recognition of law.
Stimulated by the growth of agriculture and trade, Andhra desa carried on profitable internal and external trade under the Satavahanas. The figure of a ship found on the coins of Pulamavi and Yagnasri testify the fact of their maritime activity. The discovery of large number of Roman coins in the Krishna Valley further strengthens this fact.
“Periplus of Erythrean Sea” mentions a number of ports like Sopar, Kaliyan, Ghantasala etc. The industrial and commercial activities encouraged colonial enterprise. Especially Simhala and Suvarnadvipa had great attraction for the Andhra merchants who established settlements in these lands. The merchants were followed by missionaries who carried the torch of Indian culture to these remote lands.
Land was surveyed and measured during this period. Rajju Vahaka was the officer in-charge of land survey. Entire trade revolved around luxury goods and the balance of trade was left in favour of India. Thus the Roman gold flowed into Andhra.
Related Topics : Society of the Satavahanas
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