Timeline History |
Chandragupta MauryaChandragupta Maurya (ruled 322–298 BC) was the founder of the Mauryan Empire. He is widely considered to be the first great emperor of IndiaThe Mauryan empire, whose capital was Pataliputra (modern day Patna) in Eastern India, is acknowledged to be the greatest empire in ancient India, and lasted until 185 BC, fifty years after the death of Chandragupta's famous grandson, Emperor Ashoka the Great. Prior to Chandragupta's consolidation of power, small regional kingdoms dominated Northern and Eastern India. Chandragupta is acknowledged as one of the greatest military commander in ancient India, and his kingdom, which spanned from Afghanistan in the West, Bengal in the East, the Deccan plateau in the South and Kashmir in the North, was the greatest power of its day. There are different theories regarding Chandragupta Maurya’s origns. Many regard Chandragupta to be the son of a Nanda prince in Magadha. There is however an alternative school of scholars who also connect Chandragupta to Gandhara (in modern day Pakistan). Claims that the Mauryas were the Muras or rather Mors and were jatt of Indo-Scythian origin have been proposed. Based on Plutarch's evidence, other historians state that Chandragupta Maurya belonged to the Ashvaka (q.v.) or Assakenoi clan of Swat/Kunar valley ( modern Mer-coh or Koh-I-Mor the Meros of the classical writings). Ashvakas were a section of the Kambojas who were exclusively engaged in horse-culture and were noted for renting out their cavalry services. Regardless, his achievements, which ranged from defeating macedonian armies to establishing centralized rule throughout North India, remain some of the most celebrated in Indian history. Two thousand years later, the accomplishments of Chandragupta and his successors are objects of great study in the annals of south asian and world history. |
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