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Maurya Empire

South AsiaHeartland today: India

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From Pataliputra, the Mauryas ruled most of the Indian subcontinent. Ashoka, the third king, left edicts cut in rock and stone across his lands, in which he describes the Kalinga war and the moral rule he called dhamma.

Key events

Chandragupta Maurya replaces the Nanda king of Magadha and founds the dynastyDisputed
Much of what is known comes from legends rather than firm records, and the only definite inscription naming Chandragupta dates to the 2nd century CE. Indian traditions tell the story differently and disagree about his origins. The year is approximate: 321 BCE in EBSCO, 322 or 321 BCE in World History Encyclopedia.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. "Chandragupta Maurya." Gives his reign as c. 321 to c. 297 BCE and the last Nanda king, Dhanananda, as ruling to 322/321 BCE.
- EBSCO Research Starters. "Chandragupta Maurya." By 321 BCE he had defeated Dhanananda and founded the Mauryan dynasty.
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Seleucus I gives up lands along the Indus to Chandragupta in return for 500 elephantsDisputed
Strabo gives no date, and modern accounts place the treaty at about 305 to 301 BCE. The exact lands handed over are also argued over.
Sources
- Strabo, Geography 15.2.9 (trans. H. L. Jones). Seleucus Nicator gave lands along the Indus, taken earlier from the Persians and Arians, to Sandrocottus on terms of intermarriage and five hundred elephants.
- World History Encyclopedia. "Chandragupta Maurya." Dates the treaty to 301 BCE and names Arachosia, Gedrosia and Paropamisadai as the lands; its timeline gives 305 BCE.
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Ashoka becomes the third Maurya king after his father BindusaraDisputed
The exact dates of Ashoka's life are a matter of dispute. Dhammika's account puts his conquest of Kalinga eight years after his coronation, which does not fit 268 BCE exactly.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. "Ashoka." Gives his reign as 268 to 232 BCE.
- Dhammika, Ven. S. (1993). The Edicts of King Asoka, introduction. Says the dates of his life are disputed and notes a two-year war of succession.
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Ashoka's army conquers Kalinga; his Rock Edict 13 says 100,000 were killed and 150,000 deportedDisputed
The year is 262 BCE in Dhammika and about 260 BCE in World History Encyclopedia. The casualty numbers are Ashoka's own, and no independent count exists.
Sources
- Dhammika, Ven. S. (1993). The Edicts of King Asoka, Rock Edict 13. Ashoka's own account: one hundred and fifty thousand deported, one hundred thousand killed and many more died. The introduction dates the conquest to 262 BCE.
- World History Encyclopedia. "Edicts of Ashoka." Dates the Kalinga campaign to c. 260 BCE.
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Ashoka has edicts cut into rock and pillars at more than thirty places, mostly in Brahmi scriptDisputed
The edicts were cut over many years. The year is that Dhammika gives for the Kalsi version, and others are earlier or later.
Sources
- Dhammika, Ven. S. (1993). The Edicts of King Asoka, introduction. Edicts at more than thirty places in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan, mostly in Brahmi, with one bilingual Greek and Aramaic edict in Afghanistan; the Kalsi version is dated 256 BCE.
- World History Encyclopedia. "Edicts of Ashoka." Counts 33 inscriptions on pillars, rocks and cave walls.
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The general Pushyamitra kills the last Maurya king and founds the Shunga dynastyDisputed
The year is 185 BCE in World History Encyclopedia and 184 BCE in Wikipedia's reconstruction.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. "Maurya Empire." The last Mauryan ruler was killed by his commander-in-chief in 185 BCE, and Pushyamitra founded the Shunga dynasty.
- Wikipedia. "Shunga Empire." Brihadratha, the last Maurya ruler, was assassinated by his commander-in-chief Pushyamitra while reviewing his troops; the Shunga dynasty dates from 185 or 184 BCE.
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