The Mauryan Empire was India's first empire, established in 322 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya. He built a strong army and defeated the Nanda Empire, unifying much of northern India. His grandson Ashoka expanded the empire further after a bloody conquest of Kalinga made him embrace Buddhism and rule through nonviolence. The empire declined after Ashoka's death as later emperors lost popularity and faced rebellions. It was finally overthrown in 180 BCE by the Shunga Dynasty.

1. The Mauryan Empire

2. India Just before Mauryans
 By the 500s BC, India was divided into
several small kingdoms.
 Conflict over land and trade weakened the
kingdoms  left them open to invasion.
 Armies from Persia conquer the Indus Valley
in the 500s BC and made it part of the
Persian Empire
 By the time 350 BCE, Magadha rose up as
most strong Kingdom among other and
gradually consodited its position by Merging
other smaller kingdoms.
 In 326 BCE Alexander entered Indian frontier
upto hydspse (Jhelum River) but was turned
back in 325-24 BCE on account of mutiny in
army as well as pesistence harassment by
locals.

3. Expansion of Magadha empire (Animation)

4. India’s First Empire
CHANDRA GUPTA MAURYA:
 After Alexander left India, builds a strong army in India.
 He deposes Nanda empire in 323 BCE and ascended the
throne of Magadha Empire forging Maurya Dynasty.
 He also conquers northern India and unifies the region
under his rule.
 With the help of Chanakya and other capable ministers
(Amatyas), he Sets up a good government.

5. Chandragupta Maurya (Cont...)
 Starts an efficient postal system – improves
communication throughout his empire.
 His built a strong and large army crushed any
resistance to his rule.
 He also used a wide network of spies to report
any disloyalty among his subjects

6. Maurya Empire (300 BCE)

7. "The Indians occupy [in part] some of the
countries situated along the Indus, which
formerly belonged to the Persians:
Alexander deprived the Ariana of them, and
established there settlements of his own.
But Seleucus Nicator gave them to
Sandrocottus in consequence of a marriage
contract, and received in return five
hundred elephants.”
- Strabo, a Greek historian

8. Bindusara (Amitraghāta)
 Bindusar ascends on throne in the year 297 BCE, after his
father Chandragupta abdicates in favour of ascetism.
 Bindusara consolidated the empire created by his father.
Some of the Buddhist literature credits his administration
with extensive territorial conquests in southern India.
 There is not much detail of Bindusara available with us. But
he ruled for 25-30 years. After him his famous son Ashoka
ascended on throne.

9. Asia, 270 BCE

10. Emperor Ashoka
Mauryan Emperor
 Chandra Gupta’s grandson
 Helped the Mauryan Empire reach the height of glory
 Governed most of northern central India from about 273
– 232 BC

11. Emperor Ashoka
Mauryan Emperor
 Began with fierce wars of conquest
 Eventually (soon) came to hate killing
 After Kalinga battle, he looked at the fields covered
with dead and wounded soldiers. (13th Major Rock
Edict)
 Became horrified by it
 Decided to follow Buddhism and became a man of
peace
 For the rest of his life, he tried to improve the lives of
his people

12. Emperor Ashoka Great
achievements:
Political Achievements
 Made laws that encouraged
people to do good deeds,
practice nonviolence and
respect others
 Created hospitals for people
and for animals
 Build fine roads with rest
houses and shade trees for
travelers’ comfort
 The good roads helped India
become the center of a large
trade network that stretched
to the Mediterranean Sea
Moral Achievements
Promoted Buddhism
Made regular visits to rural
villages in his empire to find
out what they needed
Sent Missionary to spread the
religion throughout India and
other parts of Asia
Built many stupas = Buddhist
shrines shaped like a dome
or burial mount
Ecourged people to live with
Compassion, honesty.
Was tolerant of all beliefs even if

13. Asokan pillar and
rock edicts help
to decide
Mauryan
territories.

14. Asokan Edict in Kandahar,
Afghanistan in Greek and
Aramaic

15. Asokan Edict in Kandahar,
Afghanistan in Greek and
Aramaic
"Ten years (of reign) having been completed, King
Piodasses (Ashoka) made known (the doctrine of) Piety to
men; and from this moment he has made men more
pious, and everything thrives throughout the whole world.
And the king abstains from (killing) living beings, and other
men and those who (are) huntsmen and fisher-men of the
king have desisted from hunting. And if some (were)
intemperate, they have ceased from their intemperance as
was in their power; and obedient to their father and
mother and to the elders, in opposition to the past also in
the future, by so acting on every occasion, they will live
better and more happily."

16. Fall of the Mauryan Empire
 Ashoka died in 232 BC 
 After Ashoka died there was no ruler to guide the people
of India.
 India falls into a time period of invasion and turmoil.
Empire declines
 The later emperors after him
 Were not as generous
 Made merchants pay heavy taxes
 Took land from peasants

17. Fall of the Mauryan Empire
 Ashoka died in 232 BC
 After Ashoka died there was no ruler to guide the
people of India.
 India falls into a time period of invasion and turmoil.
Empire declines
 The later emperors after him
 Were not as generous
 Made merchants pay heavy taxes
 Took land from peasants

18.  Rebels in different parts of kingdom.
 Empire was split into many small kingdoms that
fought amongst themselves.
List of short lived kings after Ashoka
 Dasharatha 232–224 BCE
 Samprati 224–215 BCE
 Shalishuka 215–202 BCE
 Devavarman 202–195 BCE
 Shatadhanvan 195–187 BCE
 Brihadratha 187–180 BCE

19.  Finally Brihadratha (187-180 BCE) was slained by
his own Miliary commander Pusyamitra Shunga,
when he was attending a Miliary parade and ends
Mauryan dynasty.
 Mauryans did not terminated from everywhere, we
still find record of some regional Mauryan dynasties
during the time of Shungas in Avanti and western
coastal region.