Founded by Chandragupta Maurya, the Mauryan Empire dominated South Asia from 322 BCE to 187 BCE. One of the largest empires of its time, it spanned central and northern India as well and parts of present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Iran. The imperial capital was at Pataliputra (now Patna). When the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE left a power vacuum, Chandragupta took advantage. He seized the throne of Magadha, captured Taxila, the capital of the Punjab, and took control of additional territory through conquest and alliance. Chandragupta is credited with standardizing weights and measures and establishing a single currency across his empire.

Ashoka, known as Ashoka the Great, was the third ruler of the Mauryan Empire. After seeing the bloodshed caused by his conquest of Kalinga in eastern India, he converted to Buddhism. He erected several stupas and stone pillars, founded Buddhist monasteries, and sent evangelical missions abroad. After Ashoka’s death the empire declined; the last of the Mauryas, Brihadratha, was assassinated in 185 BCE.

Mauryan art and architecture were influenced by Greek and Persian traditions. This period saw advances in stone sculpture (much previous Indian sculpture was probably in wood and has not survived). The elaborately carved animal capitals surviving on some of Ashoka’s pillars are well known. Among the finest is the Lion Capital of Ashoka from Sarnath, which became the national emblem of India. Pronunciation here. Web resources here and here.

Lion capital of Ashoka, from Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India. Sandstone. Mauryan Empire. Ca. 250 BCE. Sarnath Museum.