Ancient Indian History
🔒 Log in to trackMauryan Empire
🔒 Log in to trackThe Mauryas built the first empire that covered almost all India. Chandragupta founded it and Ashoka is its most famous king. Ashoka's edicts on rocks and pillars are our main source. Exams ask about rulers, edicts, officers, Greek visitors and Mauryan art.
The rulers
| Ruler | Reign | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Chandragupta Maurya | 322 to 298 BCE | Overthrew Dhana Nanda with Chanakya (Kautilya); faced Seleucus Nicator in 305 BCE |
| Bindusara | 298 to 273 BCE | Title Amitraghata ("slayer of foes"); followed the Ajivika sect |
| Ashoka | c. 268 to 232 BCE | Kalinga war, 261 BCE; turned to Buddhism; Dhamma policy |
| Brihadratha | Last king | Killed by Pushyamitra Shunga in 185 BCE |
In the treaty of 305 BCE Seleucus received 500 war elephants. Chandragupta received the eastern satrapies and a marriage alliance. The Greeks called him Sandrocottus.
Late in life Chandragupta became a Jain. He went to Shravanabelagola with Bhadrabahu.
Foreign visitors and books
- Megasthenes came from Seleucus to Chandragupta's court. His book Indica survives only in fragments.
- Deimachus came to Bindusara from Antiochus I.
- The Arthashastra by Kautilya is a book on statecraft with 15 books (adhikaranas).
Watch: Megasthenes served Seleucus. Deimachus served Antiochus I.
Ashoka and Dhamma
The Kalinga war of 261 BCE was in Ashoka's 8th regnal year. The bloodshed made him turn to Dhamma. Dhamma is a code of conduct, not a new religion. It means tolerance, ahimsa, kindness to servants and animals, and respect for all sects.
He held the Third Buddhist Council. He called himself Devanampiya Piyadasi (beloved of the gods).
Ashoka's edicts
| Type | Facts |
|---|---|
| Major Rock Edicts (14) | RE II medical care; RE V Dhamma Mahamattas; RE XII tolerance; RE XIII Kalinga war and remorse |
| Kalinga Edicts | Dhauli and Jaugada, Odisha: "All men are my children" |
| Minor Rock Edicts | Maski names the king as "Ashoka" |
| Bhabru edict | Faith in Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha |
| Rummindei pillar | Visit to Lumbini |
| Pillar Edicts (7) | Delhi-Topra pillar has all seven |
- Language is Prakrit. Script is mostly Brahmi.
- Kharosthi is used at Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra. Greek and Aramaic are used at Kandahar.
- James Prinsep deciphered Brahmi in 1837.
Tip: Edict numbers: 2 hospital, 5 officers, 12 tolerance, 13 Kalinga.
How the empire was run
| Officer | Job |
|---|---|
| Samaharta | Chief revenue collector |
| Sannidhata | Treasurer and storekeeper |
| Gudhapurusha | Spies |
| Kumara | Prince governing a province |
Provinces included Taxila, Ujjain, Tosali and Suvarnagiri. The usual land tax was one-sixth (bhaga). Megasthenes said Pataliputra was run by 6 committees of 5 members.
Art and the end
- Sarnath Lion Capital became the National Emblem on 26 January 1950. Its shaft is polished Chunar sandstone.
- Barabar caves in Bihar were cut for the Ajivikas.
- Didarganj Yakshi is a fly-whisk bearer, now in the Patna Museum.
- After weak later kings, Brihadratha was killed by his general Pushyamitra Shunga in 185 BCE.
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
Which edict says what
"Which edict describes the Kalinga war", "where does the name Ashoka appear", script or language questions.
Anchor: RE XIII Kalinga, RE XII tolerance, Bhabru Buddha-Dhamma-Sangha, Rummindei Lumbini.
The name Ashoka appears in Minor Rock Edicts such as Maski. Elsewhere he is Devanampiya Piyadasi.
Script: Brahmi mostly, Kharosthi in the north-west, Greek and Aramaic at Kandahar.
Each edict has one theme and one site.
Which Ashokan edict records the king's faith in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha?
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The message is about faith in the three jewels.
It was found near Jaipur.
The Bhabru (Bairat) edict
Mauryan officers and machinery
"Who was the Samaharta", spy wings, provincial governors, Dhamma Mahamattas.
Samaharta collects revenue. Sannidhata is the treasurer.
Provinces were held by Kumara princes.
Spies are gudhapurushas.
Job titles come in pairs, so learn them as pairs.
In Mauryan administration, the officer who collected revenue was the:
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The treasurer was the Sannidhata.
The collector is the other officer.
Samaharta
Chandragupta, Chanakya and the Greeks
The founding of the empire, the Arthashastra, the Seleucus treaty, Indica.
322 BCE: Chandragupta and Kautilya end Dhana Nanda.
305 BCE treaty: 500 elephants for the eastern satrapies and a marriage alliance.
Visitors: Megasthenes at Chandragupta's court and Deimachus at Bindusara's.
The treaty terms and the visitors are asked in almost every paper.
Under the Mauryan treaty with Seleucus in 305 BCE, Chandragupta gave Seleucus:
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Seleucus received animals for war.
The number was 500.
500 war elephants
Art, architecture and the end of the dynasty
Lion Capital, Barabar caves, polished pillars, Brihadratha and Pushyamitra.
Polished Chunar sandstone pillars. Lion Capital is the National Emblem.
Barabar caves were cut for the Ajivikas.
Brihadratha was killed in 185 BCE by Pushyamitra Shunga.
Each art item has one link, and the end date is fixed.
The Barabar hill caves of the Mauryan age were given to which sect?
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Bindusara followed this sect.
The sect is the Ajivikas.
The Ajivika sect
Ashoka's life and Dhamma
"Kalinga war year", "Devanampiya Piyadasi", "Dhamma Mahamattas", "Third Council".
Kalinga war: 261 BCE, in his 8th regnal year.
Dhamma: a code of conduct, not a new religion.
Dhamma Mahamattas appear in RE V. He held the Third Buddhist Council.
Dhamma questions test whether you know it was ethics, not ritual.
In which year of his reign did Ashoka fight the Kalinga war?
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The war was in 261 BCE.
Ashoka fought it early in his reign.
The 8th regnal year (261 BCE)
Mauryan king and his faith
"Which king followed the Ajivikas", "became a Jain", "Amitraghata".
Chandragupta: Jain at the end, with Bhadrabahu at Shravanabelagola.
Bindusara: Amitraghata, Ajivika follower.
Ashoka: Buddhist.
Each king has one faith, and the options swap them.
Which Mauryan king took the title Amitraghata?
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The title means slayer of foes.
He was Chandragupta's son.
Bindusara
Shortcuts that save time
2 hospital ward. 5 officer rank. 12 faiths tolerated. 13 the unlucky war.
Which Major Rock Edict records Ashoka's remorse after Kalinga?
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Use the number line: 13 is the war.
13 is Kalinga.
Rock Edict XIII
Maurya begins in 322 BCE. Shunga begins in 185 BCE. Kanva begins in 73 BCE.
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
Saying Megasthenes and Deimachus served the same court.
Megasthenes served Seleucus at Chandragupta's court. Deimachus served Antiochus I at Bindusara's court.
Mixing the faiths of the three kings.
Chandragupta ended as a Jain. Bindusara followed Ajivikas. Ashoka became Buddhist.
Saying the Major Rock Edicts name "Ashoka".
They use Devanampiya Piyadasi. The name Ashoka appears in Maski.
Saying John Marshall deciphered Brahmi.
James Prinsep deciphered Brahmi in 1837.
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
322 BCE: Chandragupta and Chanakya end the Nandas. Megasthenes and Indica at his court.
Seleucus treaty 305 BCE: 500 elephants for eastern satrapies and a marriage alliance.
Kalinga 261 BCE led to Dhamma. Edicts in Prakrit and Brahmi. Prinsep deciphered them in 1837.
RE XIII Kalinga. RE XII tolerance. Bhabru Buddha-Dhamma-Sangha. Rummindei Lumbini.
Samaharta collects. Sannidhata is treasurer. Gudhapurushas are spies.
Lion Capital is the National Emblem. Barabar caves are Ajivika. Brihadratha fell in 185 BCE.
Practice: 12 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 12 questions
Suggested time 5 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.