There were many new states in north India; around the 6th century BC.These were called Mahajanapadas or great states. They cope into being when people started settling in one place in groups. They usually settled in a fertile area, and wanted to defend their land, crops and houses from other people. So these states had their own armies, and were ruled by kings or ruling councils.
The Mahajanapadas were 16 in number. Anga, Kashi, Kosala,Chedi, Matsya, Surasena, Asmaka, Avanti, Gandhar and Magadha were ruled by kings or monarch. The kings in these states had the supreme authority.
The Mahajanapadas of Vajji, Malla, Kuru, Panchal and Kamboj were republican states. And so were other small states like Lichhavi,Shakya,Koliya,Bhagga and Moria.These republican states had a ‘Ganaparishad’ or an assembly of senior and responsible citizens. It had a supreme authority in the state. All the administrative decisions were taken by it.
Of all these, Kosala, Vatsa, Avanti and Magadha were the most important ones.
