“The forest chieftains were not considered part of the circle of kings by the political theorists, but they were recognized as a generic po- litical force that kings had to deal with. The ultimate triumph of mon- archy and empire involved the destruction of the oligarchies and the partial subjugation of the forest tribes. Along the way, the latter be- came recognized not only as cultural others, but also as political adver- saries as well as potential allies, although usually of an inferior kind.” Ancient IndiaMonarchiesCultural OthersForest ChieftainsForest TribesOligarchies Book:Political Violence in Ancient India Source: Political Violence in Ancient India