MAURYAN empire

The Maurya Empire (322185 BCE), ruled by the Mauryan dynasty, was one of the largest
and most powerful political and military empire of ancient India.
Originating from the kingdom of Magadha in the Indo-Gangetic plains (modern Bihar and
Bengal) in the eastern side of the sub-continent, the empire had its capital city at Pataliputra
(near modern Patna). The Empire was founded in 322 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya, who
had overthrown the Nanda Dynasty and began rapidly expanding his power westwards
across central and western India taking opportunistic advantage of the disruptions of local
powers in the wake of the withdrawal westward by Alexander the Great's Macedonian and
Persian armies. By 316 BCE the empire had fully occupied Northwestern India, defeating
and conquering the satraps left by Alexander.
At its greatest extent, the Empire stretched to the north along the natural boundaries of the
Himalayas, and to the east stretching into what is now Assam. To the west, it reached
beyond modern Pakistan and significant portions of what is now Afghanistan, including the
modern Herat and Kandahar provinces. The Empire was expanded into India's central and
southern regions by Emperor Bindusara, but it excluded a small portion of unexplored tribal
and forested regions near Kalinga.
The Mauryan Empire was perhaps the largest empire to rule the Indian subcontinent until
the arrival of the British. Its decline began fifty years after Ashoka's rule ended, and it
dissolved in 185 BCE with the foundation of the Sunga Dynasty in Magadha.
Under Chandragupta, the Mauryan Empire conquered the trans-Indus region, which was
under Macedonian rule. Chandragupta then defeated the invasion led by Seleucus I, a Greek
general from Alexander's army. Under Chandragupta and his successors, both internal and
external trade, and agriculture and economic activities, all thrived and expanded across
India thanks to the creation of a single and efficient system of finance, administration and
security. After the Kalinga War, the Empire experienced half a century of peace and security
under Ashoka: India was a prosperous and stable empire of great economic and military
power whose political influence and trade extended across Western and Central Asia and
Europe. Mauryan India also enjoyed an era of social harmony, religious transformation, and
expansion of the sciences and of knowledge. Chandragupta Maurya's embrace of Jainism
increased social and religious renewal and reform across his society, while Ashoka's
embrace of Buddhism was the foundation of the reign of social and political peace and nonviolence across all of India. Ashoka sponsored the spreading of Buddhist ideals into Sri
Lanka, Southeast Asia, West Asia and Mediterranean Europe.
Chandragupta's minister Kautilya Chanakya wrote the Arthashastra, one of the greatest
treatises on economics, politics, foreign affairs, administration, military arts, war, and
religion ever produced in the East. Archaeologically, the period of Mauryan rule in South

Asia falls into the era of Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW). The Arthashastra and the
Edicts of Ashoka are primary sources of written records of the Mauryan times. The Mauryan
empire is considered one of the most significant periods in Indian history. The Lion Capital
of Asoka at Sarnath, is the emblem of India.
Gupta empire
The Gupta Empire was one of the largest political and military empires in the world. It was
ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 600 CE and covered most of
Northern India, the region presently in the nation of Pakistan and what is now western
India and Bangladesh. The time of the Gupta Empire is referred to as Golden Age of India in
science, mathematics, astronomy, religion and Indian philosophy. The peace and prosperity
created under leadership of Guptas enabled the pursuit of scientific and artistic endeavors.
The decimal numeral system, including the concept of zero, was invented in India during
the reign of the Guptas. Historians place the Gupta dynasty alongside with the Han Dynasty,
Tang Dynasty and Roman Empire as a model of a classical civilization.

History of South Asia and History of India

Stone Age 70,0003300 BC
Mehrgarh Culture 70003300 BC
Indus Valley Civilization 33001700 BC
Late Harappan Culture 17001300 BC
Vedic period 1500500 BC
Iron Age 1200300 BC
Maha Janapadas 700300 BC
Magadha Empire 545320 BC
Maurya Empire 321184 BC
Middle Kingdoms 230 BCE1279 AD
Satavahana Empire 230 BCE199 AD
Kushan Empire 60240
Gupta Empire 280550
Pala Empire 7501174
Chola Empire 8481070
Islamic Sultanates 12061596
Delhi Sultanate 12061526
Deccan Sultanates 14901596
Hoysala Empire 10401346
Kakatiya Empire 10831323
Vijayanagara Empire 13361565
Maratha Empire 16741818
Mughal Empire 15261707

Sikh Confederacy 17161799

Sikh Empire 17991849
British India 18581947
Modern States 1947 onwards
Nation histories
Bangladesh Bhutan Republic of India
Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka
Regional histories
Bengal Himachal Pradesh Orissa
Pakistani Regions North India South India Tibet
Specialised histories
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Maritime Military Science and Technology Timeline
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The origins of the Guptas are shrouded in obscurity. The Chinese traveller I-tsing provides
the first evidence of the Gupta kingdom in Magadha. He came to India in 672 CE and heard
of 'Maharaja Sri-Gupta' who built a temple for Chinese pilgrims near Mrigasikhavana. Itsing gives the date for this event merely as '500 years before'. This does not match with
other sources and hence we can assume that I-tsing's computation was a mere guess. Some
scholars link Guptas with ahir ruler mentioned in Bhagwatam.
The most likely date for the reign of Sri-Gupta is c. 240-280 CE. His successor Ghatotkacha
ruled probably from c. 280-319 CE. In contrast to his successor, he is also referred to in
inscriptions as 'Maharaja'.
The most accepted theory about the origins of the Guptas is that the Guptas originated from
Bengal. The mention of "Varendra Mrigashihavan Stupa" on a mound in Nepal is a strong
evidence that the Guptas originated from Bengal. Maharaja Sri-Gupta probably ruled a
portion of Northern/Southern Bengal. Later Chandragupta I established his dominion over
Magadha through marital policy with the Licchavis. However the origins of the Guptas is
still hotly debated.
At the beginning of the 4th century the Guptas established and ruled a few small Hindu
kingdoms in Magadha and around modern-day Uttar Pradesh.