Maurya Empire
ancient Indian empire (322–184 BCE) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mauryan Empire was an empire in South Asia, founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE and lasting until 185 BCE. It was centralized through the conquest of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, with its capital in Pataliputra (modern Patna). The empire covered regions that are now part of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan and parts of Southeastern Iran.[1]
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Mauryan Empire | |||||||||||||||||
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322 BCE–185 BCE | |||||||||||||||||
Capital | Pataliputra (Present-day Patna) | ||||||||||||||||
Common languages | Magadhi Prakrit and Other Prakrits) | ||||||||||||||||
Religion | Buddhism Brahmanism Jainism | ||||||||||||||||
Government | Absolute monarchy as described in the Arthashastra | ||||||||||||||||
Emperor | |||||||||||||||||
• 320–298 BCE | Chandragupta | ||||||||||||||||
• 298–272 BCE | Bindusara | ||||||||||||||||
• 268–232 BCE | Ashoka | ||||||||||||||||
• 232–224 BCE | Dasharatha | ||||||||||||||||
• 224–215 BCE | Samprati | ||||||||||||||||
• 215–202 BCE | Shalishuka | ||||||||||||||||
• 202–195 BCE | Devavarman | ||||||||||||||||
• 195–187 BCE | Shatadhanvan | ||||||||||||||||
• 187–185 BCE | Brihadratha | ||||||||||||||||
Historical era | Antiquity | ||||||||||||||||
• Established | 322 BCE | ||||||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 185 BCE | ||||||||||||||||
Area | |||||||||||||||||
5,000,000 km2 (1,900,000 sq mi) | |||||||||||||||||
Currency | Panas | ||||||||||||||||
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Chandragupta Maurya, assisted by Chanakya, overthrew the Nanda empire around 322 BCE. Expanding westward, he conquered territories left by Alexander the Great in modern-day Pakistan. By 317 BCE, the empire fully occupied the northwestern subcontinent. The Mauryan Empire also defeated Seleucus I, acquiring land west of the Indus River (modern-day Pakistan), during the Seleucid–Mauryan war.[2][3]