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factbase-ancient-history/civilizations/maurya-empire.md
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# Maurya Empire
# Maurya Empire
## Overview
The Maurya Empire (~322185 BCE) was the first empire to unify most of the Indian subcontinent, founded by Chandragupta Maurya and reaching its greatest extent under Ashoka.
## Key Facts
- Region: Indian subcontinent, from Afghanistan to Bengal
- Period: ~322185 BCE
- Capital: Pataliputra (modern Patna)
- Language: Prakrit, Sanskrit
- Religion: Initially Vedic/Hindu, Buddhism promoted under Ashoka
## Notable Rulers
- Chandragupta Maurya (~322298 BCE): Founded the empire, defeated Seleucid forces [^1]
- Bindusara (~298272 BCE): Expanded southward
- Ashoka (~268232 BCE): Converted to Buddhism after the Kalinga War, erected edicts promoting dharma [^2]
## Achievements
- Unified most of the Indian subcontinent for the first time
- Ashoka's edicts: Earliest deciphered Indian inscriptions, promoting non-violence and tolerance
- *Arthashastra* attributed to Chanakya: Treatise on statecraft and economics
- Extensive road network and trade connections
## Decline
Declined after Ashoka's death due to weak successors and regional fragmentation. Last Maurya ruler overthrown by Pushyamitra Shunga ~185 BCE.
---
[^1]: Thapar, R. *Aśoka and the Decline of the Mauryas* (Oxford, 1961)
[^2]: Olivelle, P. *Ashoka: Portrait of a Philosopher King* (2023)
---
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