The Mauryan Dynasty: 332 BC to 184 BC

This chapter provides a historical account of the rise of power of the Maurya Kingdom in Magadha established by Chandragupta Maurya in 4 BC, strengthened by Ashoka and abolished through the murder of its last king Brihadratha. In particular, it is a contextual analysis of factors that supported the development and expansion of the Maurya Kingdom as well as factors that led to its eventual demise. Prime among them was Kautilya, a Brahmin scholar who went on to write Arthashastra, the first scholarly body of writing on statecraft, wealth accumulation and military supremacy. However, the Arthashastra does not focus on strategies to promote political stability and solidarity and build strong international relations between states. The author explores the relationship between the power of the Brahmans in the Hindu caste system and the unrealised power of kings and institutions that left the Indian sub-continent fragmented and vulnerable to foreign invasion. The second part discusses the empire’s socio-economic landscape, religion, governance and military capacity with the help of the Arthashastra, Rajtarangini and Parishishthai Parvana as well as accounts by Greek writers including Megasthenes and Pliny. The empire focused on agriculture and trade, taxation policies and implemented state control. War elephants played a crucial role in expanding the empire and later generally protecting and defending it after King Ashoka, horrified by the carnage at Kalinga, became a pacifist king and adopted Buddhism. Ashoka’s adoption of Buddhism greatly influenced the culture and values of the empire. After Ashoka’s reign, the empire gradually weakened and was overthrown by the Sunga Dynasty.