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South AsiaAsiaMajor empire

Maurya Empire

c. 322 – 185 BCE · about 137 years approximate dates

The Maurya Empire, founded by Chandragupta Maurya, was the first empire to unify most of the Indian subcontinent. Its emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism after the bloody Kalinga war and spread it through edicts and missions. It declined after his death.

Key facts

Datesc. 322 – 185 BCE
RegionSouth Asia
ContinentAsia
CapitalPataliputra
FounderChandragupta Maurya
Religion(s)Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism
Peak extent≈ 3.4 million km² (c. 261 BCE) – source

Before & after

Preceded by

Nanda Empire

Followed by

Shunga Empire Indo-Greek Kingdom Mahameghavahana dynasty (Kalinga)

In the Islamic timeline

  • Buddhism — Ashoka promoted Buddhism across and beyond his empire.

Sources

Dates follow widely used reference works; many ancient dates are approximate or debated. Neutral summary for general reference.