Epigraphical Evidences
Ashoka's Edicts and Inscriptions
Ashoka's edicts were first deciphered by James Princep in 1837. It was written in Prakrit language and 3 scripts viz Kharoshthi in North West,
Greek and Aramaic in West
and Brahmi in Eastern India.
• Inscriptions of Skandgupta and Rudradaman are also found at Girnar.
The pillar Edict VII is the last edict to be issued by Ashoka.
Mahasthan and Sohgura copper plate inscriptions issued by Chandragupta Maurya, deals with relief measures adopted during famine.
Latest discovery-3 Ashokan minor rock edicts from Sannati village (Karnataka).
Chandragupta Maurya
(321 BC-298 BC)
• Also called as Sandrocottus/ Androcottus by Greek scholars.
• He entered into an alliance with Parvartaka and with the help of Chanakya, he dethroned the last Nanda ruler Dhanananda and founded the Mauryan dynasty with the capital at Pataliputra.
Chandragupta defeated Selucus Nikator, the general of Alexander in North-West India in 305 BC. Selucus surrendered a vast territory in return for 500 elephants.
Hindukush became the boundary between the two states.
There was a matrimonial alliance between them.
• Selucus also sent the Greek Ambassador, Megasthenese, to the court of Chandragupta Maurya.
• Chandragupta embraced Jainism and went to Chandragiri hill, at Sravanbelagola with Bhadrabahu, where he died of slow starvation (Salekhna).
Bindusara (298 BC-273 BC)
Greeks called him Amitro Chates (derived from Sanskrit word Amitraghata i.e. slayer of foes), Sinhasena- Jain text; Vindupala (Chinese texts)
Bhadrasara (Yayu Purana).
He extended the kingdom further to the Peninsular region of India as far South as Mysore.
Antiochus I, the Selucid king of Syria, sent his Ambassador, Deimachus to his court.
Pliny mentions that Ptoleny Philladelphus of Egypt sent
Dionysius as his Ambassador to the court of Bindusara.
Taranath-the Buddhist monk, credits him for conquering the land between the two seas.
He patronised Ajivika Sect.
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