Maurya Empire

Mauryan Empire मौर्यसाम्राज्यम्(Sanskrit) मौर्यसाम्राज्य(Hindi)
←  ←  322 BC–185 BC  →  →  →  →
Maurya Empire at its maximum extent (Dark Blue), including its vassals (Light Blue).
Capital		Pataliputra (Modern day Patna)
Languages		Old Indic Languages(e.g. Magadhi Prakrit,Other Prakrits, Sanskrit)
Religion		Hinduism Buddhism Jainism Ājīvika
Government		Absolute Monarchy as described in theArthashastra
Samraat (Emperor)
-	320–298 BC	Chandragupta Maurya
-	298-272 BC	Bindusara
-	268-232 BC	Ashoka
-	232-224 BC	Dasaratha
-	224–215 BC	Samprati
-	215–202 BC	Salisuka Maurya
-	202–195 BC	Devavarman
-	195–187 BC	Satadhanvan
-	187–185 BC	Brihadratha
Historical era		Antiquity
-	Established	322 BC
-	Disestablished	185 BC
Area		5,000,000 km²(1,930,511 sq mi)
Currency		Panas
Today part of		Afghanistan  Bangladesh  Bhutan  China  India  Iran  Kyrgyzstan  Maldives  Myanmar    Nepal  Pakistan  Sri Lanka  Tajikistan  Turkmenistan  Uzbekistan

Outline of South Asian history History of Indian subcontinent
7000–3000 BC: Stone Age
3000–1300 BC: Bronze Age
1700–26 BC: Iron Age
21–1279 AD: Middle Kingdoms
1206–1596: Late medieval age
1526–1858: Early modern period
1505–1961: Colonial period
Other states (1102–1947)
v t e

The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 322 to 185 BCE. Originating from the kingdom of Magadha in the Indo-Gangetic plains (modern Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh) in the eastern side of the Indian subcontinent, the empire had its capital city at Pataliputra (modern Patna). The Empire was founded in 322 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya, who had overthrown the Nanda Dynasty and rapidly expanded his power westwards across central and western India, taking advantage of the disruptions of local powers in the wake of the withdrawal westward by Alexander the Great's Greek armies. By 320 BCE the empire had fully occupied Northwestern India, defeating and conquering the satraps left by Alexander.

The Maurya Empire was one of the world's largest empires in its time, and the largest ever in the Indian subcontinent. 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 conquered beyond modern Pakistan, annexing Khorasan, Balochistan, south eastern parts of Iran and much of what is now Afghanistan, including the modern Herat and Kandahar provinces. The Empire was expanded into India's central and southern regions by the emperors Chandragupta and Bindusara, but it excluded a small portion of unexplored tribal and forested regions near Kalinga (modern Odisha), until it was conquered by Ashoka. Its decline began 60 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, internal and external trade, 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. 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 has been said to have been the foundation of the reign of social and political peace and non-violence across all of India. Ashoka sponsored the spreading of Buddhist ideals into Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, West Asia and Mediterranean Europe.

The population of the empire has been estimated to be about 50 - 60 million making the Mauryan Empire one of the most populous empires of all time.

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 the primary sources of written records of Mauryan times. The Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath has been made the national emblem of India.