A Mahamatra (meaning "Officer of high rank") was an "officer of morality" established by the Indian Emperor

Ashoka Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, ...

(reigned 269-233 BCE). Their full title was ''Dhaṃma Mahāmātā'', the "Inspectors of the Dharma". They were apparently a class of senior officials who were in charge various aspects of administration and justice. The Mahamatras are mentioned in several of the

Edicts of Ashoka The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of more than thirty inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, attributed to Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Empire who reigned from 268 BCE to 232 BCE. Ashoka used the expres ...

, inscribed on rocks or pillars. They seem to have been an essential part of his government. Some were called "Dharma-Mahamatras" ("Mahamatras of Virtue"), who seem to have been established in the 14th year of Ashoka's reign (256 BCE). There were also Amta-mahamatras in charge of foreigners, and Stri-adhyaksha- mahamatras, in charge of women.

References

{{reflist Indian inscriptions Linguistic history of India Edicts of Ashoka