The Maurya Dynasty (c. 324 ‒ 185 BCE)

1. Introduction

The Maurya dynasty was one of the great powers of ancient Indian history, originating in the kingdom of Magadha and reaching its greatest expansion under Ashoka. It was characterized by a centralized government, vast territorial extent, and a complex administrative system. Despite its relatively short duration (about 140 years), the Maurya left a profound imprint on the political, religious, and cultural landscape of South Asia.

2. Main Rulers

• Chandragupta Maurya (c. 324-c. 300 BCE): founder, also thanks to the traditionally attributed role of Chanakya (or Kautilya).
• Bindusara (c. 300-c. 272 BCE): son of Chandragupta, consolidated inherited borders and expanded Maurya influence.
• Ashoka (c. 268-232 BCE): the most famous; known for transforming his rule after the Kalinga war from military conquest to the spread of Dharma, promotion of Buddhism, religious tolerance, and public works.

3. Political and Administrative Structure

- The empire’s center was Pataliputra (modern Patna, Bihar).
- There were distinct administrative levels: provincial governors, local officials, morally appointed inspectors (“Mahamatras”) to promote justice and welfare (“Dhamma”).
- The military apparatus was complex, with infantry, cavalry, and elephants: expansion under Chandragupta and Bindusara, and the bloody Kalinga war under Ashoka, testify to this.
- Economy based on agriculture, tribute, internal and external trade; control over mineral and forest resources was important.
- Legal system, while heavily influenced by religion, also had “secular” elements, e.g., regulations on punishments, harvests, taxes, and markets (many literary sources are normative rather than descriptive).

4. Religion and Ideology

Ashoka in particular is known for adopting and promoting Buddhism, but his religious approach was pluralistic: recognition of Brahmins, various ascetic currents (Samana/Sramana), and respect for local traditions.
The concept of Dhamma is not identical to pure Buddhism but a broad ethical-moral notion encompassing compassion, non-violence, and public good. Edicts, inscriptions, and related architectural works (stupas, monasteries) illustrate these religious and cultural interactions.

5. Decline and Fall

After Ashoka, the empire continued to exist but its cohesion began to weaken. Internal factors (administrative problems, difficulty controlling such a vast empire) and external pressures contributed. Around 185 BCE the Maurya dynasty was overthrown (by local powers), marking the end of the first great pan-Indian state in antiquity.

6. Main Sources

Primary or near-contemporary sources

• Ashoka’s Edicts (Rock Edicts, Pillar Edicts, Cave Edicts): royal inscriptions promoted by Ashoka across the empire. Provide direct information on politics, ethics, and organization.
• Indica by Megasthenes: Greek ambassador at the time of the Mauryas, his work is lost but preserved in extracts by later Greek and Latin authors (Strabo, Diodorus, Arrian, etc.). Describes society, administrative structure, and economy.
• Arthashastra: treatise attributed to Kautilya (or Chanakya) dealing with statecraft, economy, administration, war, law. Dating and full authenticity are debated, but it is a fundamental source.

Later literary sources, chronicles, religious and dramatic literature

• Buddhist texts (Jataka, Mahavamsa, Dipavamsa, Ashokavadana, Divyavadana): provide accounts of Ashoka’s life, spread of Buddhism, and moral examples; useful for cultural and religious aspects.
• Jain texts (Kalpasutra, Parishishtaparvan of Hemachandra, etc.): provide information on Chandragupta, religious conversions, and local traditions.
• Puranas: compilatory texts including genealogies, lists of Maurya rulers and chronologies; useful but must be used cautiously due to later date and possible interpolations.
• Drama / later classical literary texts, such as Mudrārākṣasa by Viśākhadatta: offer narrative or symbolic versions, but should be cross-checked with more “hard” sources.

Archaeological and other material remains

• Monuments (stupas, monasteries, civic ruins), excavations at Pataliputra and other centers.
• Punched coins, everyday objects, secondary paintings and inscriptions.
• Non-Maurya inscriptions referencing Mauryas or their officials, later edicts preserving historical memory.

7. Methodological Issues and Debates

• Authenticity and dating of the Arthashastra: some scholars believe the text was composed or modified in the centuries after the Maurya period; identification of Kautilya/Chanakya as author is traditional but debated.
• Reliability of late literary traditions: although useful for cultural, religious, or narrative aspects, later texts may include legends, symbolic elements, or ideological projections.
• Scarcity of non-edict contemporary documents: much data relies on indirect testimony (Greek citations of the “Indica”, later Buddhist/Jain chronicles, Ashoka inscriptions).
• Interpretation of edicts: translation from Prakrit into Brahmi, local context, and territorial variants necessitate critical use of inscriptions.

8. Bibliography and Recommended Modern Studies

• Ranabir Chakravarti, “Mauryan Empire”, in *Major Reference Works*. Wiley Online Library, 2015. Comprehensive article on government, expansion, sources.
• Romila Thapar, *The Mauryan Empire in Early India*, *Historical Research*, vol. 79, 2006. Important comparative study of Maurya empire characteristics.
• Chapter “The Maurya Age” in R. S. Sharma, *India’s Ancient Past*. Oxford University Press.
• Recent studies on Ashoka’s edicts and the use of epigraphy as political and moral tool, e.g., “Aśoka Maurya: Dharma: Its Early History in Law, Religion, and Narrative”, Oxford Academic.
• Harish-L. S. (various university texts on the Maurya world, Upinder Singh - *A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India*) for modern synthesis of sources (not always freely accessible).