TRA: Lesson - India: The Mauryan Empire
India: The Mauryan Empire
The first true empire of Indian history arrived in the 4th Century BCE. Chandragupta Maurya was actually inspired by Alexander the Great’s conquest of his home. He believed he could do something similar for the Indian subcontinent. He launched a series of successful attacks on the Hindu kingdoms of modern-day northern India, filling the political void left when Alexander left. By 321 BCE, Chandragupta Maurya ruled the first unified Indian empire, the Mauryan Empire (321-184 BCE).
In his new empire, Chandragupta established a rigid social structure based on professions that reflected the caste system of Hinduism. The most separated class of Mauryan citizens was the soldier. Physically isolated from the rest of the community and banned from taking second jobs, soldiers lived separately so they were always ready for battle. Many land and sea trade routes connected communities within the empire's borders bringing more wealth to the empire.
A bas relief (wall carving) of Aśoka riding to northern India
Aśoka
Chandragupta's grandson, Aśoka (sometimes written as Ashoka,) claimed the title of emperor in 268 BCE at the peak of the Mauryan Empire's good fortunes. Despite all the land and wealth amassed by his father and grandfather, Aśoka decided more would be better. Looking to the east coast of the South Asian peninsula, he saw the independent kingdom of Kalinga and readied his troops. In the end, the Mauryan Empire won the battles and drew Kalinga into its borders; but it was at a terrible cost. Roughly 100,000 people died and 150,000 were forcibly relocated from their homes.
Upon hearing of the devastation from his invasion of Kalinga, Aśoka had a sudden change of heart. Aśoka converted to Buddhism, rejected all violence (even rejected meat in food), and spread Buddhist ideals. Aśoka's government promoted the welfare of the people by supporting infrastructure (like wells and hospitals) and law reform (freedom of religion and less strict laws). Under Aśoka, 50 to 60 million people experienced a rare period of unity in India's early history.
Trade Routes
Like Chandragupta, Aśoka also encouraged long-distance ocean trade. It was during his reign that India became the center of a vast southern ocean-trading network that stretched from China to Africa and the Middle East. Among those who were particularly interested in Aśoka’s new religion/philosophy, was the merchant class. As traders, both domestically and internationally, the merchant class was in an exceptional position to pass on the teachings of Buddhism, increasing the opportunities for Buddhism to expand outside the borders of its origin.
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