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Ashoka

Ashoka

Overview

Ashoka (~304232 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: ~268232 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


Review Queue

  • @q[temporal] Line 10: "Born: ~304 BCE, Pataliputra" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 11: "Died: ~232 BCE" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 12: "Reign: ~268232 BCE" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 13: "Dynasty: Maurya" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 14: "Religion: Buddhism (after Kalinga War)" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 17: "Conquered Kalinga (~262 BCE) with devastating casualties (~100,000 killed, 15..." - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 18: "The carnage prompted his conversion to Buddhism 1 " - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 21: "Rock and pillar edicts erected across the empire in Prakrit, Greek, and Aramaic" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 22: "Promoted dhamma (dharma): Non-violence, religious tolerance, welfare of sub..." - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 23: "Established hospitals for humans and animals" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 24: "Sent Buddhist missionaries to Sri Lanka, Central Asia, and the Hellenistic wo..." - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 27: "The Ashoka Chakra appears on India's national flag" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 28: "Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath is India's national emblem" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 29: "Rediscovered by James Prinsep who deciphered Brahmi script in 1837" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[missing] Line 10: "Born: ~304 BCE, Pataliputra" - what is the source?

Thapar (1961) 1

  • @q[missing] Line 11: "Died: ~232 BCE" - what is the source?

Thapar (1961) 1

  • @q[missing] Line 12: "Reign: ~268232 BCE" - what is the source?

Thapar (1961) 1

  • @q[missing] Line 13: "Dynasty: Maurya" - what is the source?

Thapar (1961) 1

  • @q[missing] Line 14: "Religion: Buddhism (after Kalinga War)" - what is the source?

Thapar (1961) 1

  • @q[missing] Line 17: "Conquered Kalinga (~262 BCE) with devastating casualties (~100,000 killed, 15..." - what is the source?

Singh (2008) 2

  • @q[missing] Line 21: "Rock and pillar edicts erected across the empire in Prakrit, Greek, and Aramaic" - what is the source?

Singh (2008) 2

  • @q[missing] Line 22: "Promoted dhamma (dharma): Non-violence, religious tolerance, welfare of sub..." - what is the source?

Singh (2008) 2

  • @q[missing] Line 23: "Established hospitals for humans and animals" - what is the source?

Singh (2008) 2

  • @q[missing] Line 27: "The Ashoka Chakra appears on India's national flag" - what is the source?

Singh (2008) 2

  • @q[missing] Line 28: "Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath is India's national emblem" - what is the source?

Singh (2008) 2

  • @q[missing] Line 29: "Rediscovered by James Prinsep who deciphered Brahmi script in 1837" - what is the source?

Singh (2008) 2

  • @q[stale] Line 18: "The carnage prompted his conversion to Buddhism 1 " - Thapar source from 1961 may be outdated, is this still accurate?

Established scholarship remains current.

  • @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?

Established scholarship remains current.


  1. Thapar, R. Aśoka and the Decline of the Mauryas (Oxford, 1961) ↩︎

  2. Singh, U. A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India (2008) ↩︎