# Ashoka # Ashoka ## Overview Ashoka (~304–232 BCE) was the third Maurya emperor who, after the bloody conquest of Kalinga, converted to Buddhism and promoted non-violence through rock and pillar edicts across the Indian subcontinent. ## Key Facts - Born: ~304 BCE, Pataliputra - Died: ~232 BCE - Reign: ~268–232 BCE - Dynasty: Maurya - Religion: Buddhism (after Kalinga War) ## The Kalinga War - Conquered Kalinga (~262 BCE) with devastating casualties (~100,000 killed, 150,000 deported per his own edicts) - The carnage prompted his conversion to Buddhism [^1] ## Ashoka's Edicts - Rock and pillar edicts erected across the empire in Prakrit, Greek, and Aramaic - Promoted *dhamma* (dharma): Non-violence, religious tolerance, welfare of subjects - Established hospitals for humans and animals - Sent Buddhist missionaries to Sri Lanka, Central Asia, and the Hellenistic world [^2] ## Legacy - The Ashoka Chakra appears on India's national flag - Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath is India's national emblem - Rediscovered by James Prinsep who deciphered Brahmi script in 1837 --- [^1]: Thapar, R. *Aśoka and the Decline of the Mauryas* (Oxford, 1961) [^2]: Singh, U. *A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India* (2008) --- ## Review Queue - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 10: "Born: ~304 BCE, Pataliputra" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 11: "Died: ~232 BCE" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 12: "Reign: ~268–232 BCE" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 13: "Dynasty: Maurya" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 14: "Religion: Buddhism (after Kalinga War)" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 17: "Conquered Kalinga (~262 BCE) with devastating casualties (~100,000 killed, 15..." - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 18: "The carnage prompted his conversion to Buddhism [^1]" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 21: "Rock and pillar edicts erected across the empire in Prakrit, Greek, and Aramaic" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 22: "Promoted *dhamma* (dharma): Non-violence, religious tolerance, welfare of sub..." - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 23: "Established hospitals for humans and animals" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 24: "Sent Buddhist missionaries to Sri Lanka, Central Asia, and the Hellenistic wo..." - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 27: "The Ashoka Chakra appears on India's national flag" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 28: "Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath is India's national emblem" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[temporal]` Line 29: "Rediscovered by James Prinsep who deciphered Brahmi script in 1837" - when was this true? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 10: "Born: ~304 BCE, Pataliputra" - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 11: "Died: ~232 BCE" - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 12: "Reign: ~268–232 BCE" - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 13: "Dynasty: Maurya" - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 14: "Religion: Buddhism (after Kalinga War)" - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 17: "Conquered Kalinga (~262 BCE) with devastating casualties (~100,000 killed, 15..." - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 21: "Rock and pillar edicts erected across the empire in Prakrit, Greek, and Aramaic" - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 22: "Promoted *dhamma* (dharma): Non-violence, religious tolerance, welfare of sub..." - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 23: "Established hospitals for humans and animals" - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 27: "The Ashoka Chakra appears on India's national flag" - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 28: "Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath is India's national emblem" - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[missing]` Line 29: "Rediscovered by James Prinsep who deciphered Brahmi script in 1837" - what is the source? > - [ ] `@q[stale]` Line 18: "The carnage prompted his conversion to Buddhism [^1]" - Thapar source from 1961 may be outdated, is this still accurate? > - [ ] `@q[stale]` Line 24: "Sent Buddhist missionaries to Sri Lanka, Central Asia, and the Hellenistic wo..." - Singh source from 2008 may be outdated, is this still accurate? >