India had a history of republics that existed before and after Buddha. These were located in contemp;orary North Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh (U>P>) Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab and in many other paerts of Ancient India. One such republics was Lichchhavi which existed along with Sakya, Videha, Malla, Malavas (Malloi in Greek), Sivis (Siboi in Greek) and other republics. While Lichchhavi, Sakya and Malla exisgted in Eastern India (contemporary Varanasi and Gorakhpur region of Estern UP and Darbhanga and Muzzaffarpur regions of North Bihar) Malavas and Sivis (as rfeferred in Jataka, in Patanjali's Mahabhasya, it is referred as Saibyas Mahajanpadas) existed in North West India (now in Pakistan and Afghanistan). Lichchhavi was a part of Vajjika territory, one of the 16 mahajanapadas which existed around the contemporary village of Basarh in Vaishali districts. It's remnants were excavated in the 20thg century, first time during 1903-04, then in 1913-14, in 1950 and in 1958-59. The references of Lichchhavi are in Pali, Tibetan, Jain, Greek, Nepalese, Chinese and Sanskrit texts. The inscriptions on stone pillars, coins and copper plate are the other available sources. Thje archaeological excavations at the village Basarh conclusively prove its existence in ancient India. It was, in fact, in far developed form than even contemporary Indian democracy. Greek texts, referring to Alexander's invasion and his defeat in India often mention about different Indian frepublics of the time with whom residents of Lichchhavi had good relations. Indian texts both in Pali and Sanskrit, also refer about the republics of North West nows in Afghanistan and Pakistan.