Editing History of India (section)

==== Maurya Empire ====
{{Main|Maurya Empire}}
{{multiple image
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| title             = Maurya Empire
| image1            = Maurya Empire, c.250 BCE.png
| caption1          = [[Maurya Empire]] at its peak under [[Ashoka the Great]].
| image2            = Asokanpillar2.jpg
| caption2          = [[Ashokan pillar]] at [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]], 3rd century BCE.
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The Maurya Empire (322–185&nbsp;BCE) unified most of the Indian subcontinent into one state, and was the [[List of largest empires|largest empire]] ever to exist on the Indian subcontinent.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Turchin|first1=Peter|last2=Adams|first2=Jonathan M.|last3=Hall|first3=Thomas D.|title=East–West Orientation of Historical Empires|journal=Journal of World-Systems Research|date=December 2006|volume=12|issue=2|page=223|url=http://jwsr.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/jwsr/article/view/369/381|access-date=12 September 2016|issn=1076-156X}}</ref> At its greatest extent, the Mauryan Empire stretched to the north up to the natural boundaries of the [[Himalayas]] and to the east into what is now [[Assam]]. To the west, it reached beyond modern Pakistan, to the [[Hindu Kush]] mountains in what is now Afghanistan. The empire was established by [[Chandragupta Maurya]] assisted by Chanakya ([[Kautilya]]) in [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]] (in modern [[Bihar]]) when he overthrew the [[Nanda Empire]].<ref>{{cite book|title=A History of India: Volume 1|author=Romila Thapar|page=70}}</ref>

Chandragupta rapidly expanded his power westwards across central and western India, and by 317&nbsp;BCE the empire had fully occupied north-western India. The Mauryan Empire defeated [[Seleucus I Nicator|Seleucus I]], founder of the [[Seleucid Empire]], during the [[Seleucid–Mauryan war]], thus gained additional territory west of the Indus River. Chandragupta's son [[Bindusara]] succeeded to the throne around 297&nbsp;BCE. By the time he died in {{circa}} 272&nbsp;BCE, a large part of the Indian subcontinent was under Mauryan suzerainty. However, the region of [[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga]] (around modern day [[Odisha]]) remained outside Mauryan control, perhaps interfering with trade with the south.{{sfn|Thapar|2003|pp=178–180}}

[[File:Lomas Rishi entrance.jpg|thumb|The Mauryan carved door of [[Lomas Rishi cave|Lomas Rishi]], one of the [[Barabar Caves]], {{circa}} 250 BCE]]
Bindusara was succeeded by [[Ashoka]], whose reign lasted until his death in about 232&nbsp;BCE.{{sfn|Thapar|2003|pp=204–206}} His campaign against the Kalingans in about 260&nbsp;BCE, though successful, led to immense loss of life and misery. This led Ashoka to shun violence, and subsequently to embrace Buddhism.{{sfn|Thapar|2003|pp=178–180}} The empire began to decline after his death and the last Mauryan ruler, [[Brihadratha Maurya|Brihadratha]], was assassinated by [[Pushyamitra Shunga]] to establish the [[Shunga Empire]].{{sfn|Thapar|2003|pp=204–206}}

Under Chandragupta Maurya and his successors, internal and external trade, agriculture, and economic activities all thrived and expanded across India thanks to the creation of a single efficient system of finance, administration, and security. The Mauryans built the [[Grand Trunk Road]], one of Asia's oldest and longest major roads connecting the Indian subcontinent with Central Asia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://roadsandkingdoms.com/2016/dinner-on-the-grand-trunk-road/|title=Dinner on the Grand Trunk Road|last=Bhandari|first=Shirin|date=5 January 2016|website=Roads & Kingdoms|language=en-US|access-date=19 July 2016}}</ref> After the [[Kalinga War]], the Empire experienced nearly half a century of peace and security under Ashoka. Mauryan India also enjoyed an era of social harmony, religious transformation, and expansion of scientific knowledge. Chandragupta Maurya's embrace of [[Jainism]] increased social and religious renewal and reform across his society, while Ashoka's embrace of Buddhism has been said to have been the foundation of the reign of social and political peace and non-violence across India.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} Ashoka sponsored Buddhist missions across the [[Indo-Mediterranean]], into [[Sri Lanka]], [[Buddhism in Southeast Asia|Southeast Asia]], [[West Asia]], [[North Africa]], and [[Southern Europe|Mediterranean Europe]].{{sfn|Kulke|Rothermund|2004|p=67}}

The ''[[Arthashastra]]'' written by [[Chanakya]] and the [[Edicts of Ashoka]] are the primary written records of the Mauryan times. Archaeologically, this period falls in the era of [[Northern Black Polished Ware]]. The Mauryan Empire was based on a modern and efficient economy and society in which the sale of merchandise was closely regulated by the government.<ref>{{cite book|title=A History of India: Volume 1|author=Romila Thapar|page=78}}</ref> Although there was no banking in the Mauryan society, [[usury]] was customary. A significant amount of written records on slavery are found, suggesting a prevalence thereof.{{sfn|Antonova|Bongard-Levin|Kotovsky|1979|p=91}} During this period, a high-quality steel called [[Wootz steel]] was developed in south India and was later exported to China and Arabia.<ref>''Technology and Society'' by Menon, R.V.G. p. 15</ref>