empires of india. the maurya empire this was the first great indian empire started by chandragupta...
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Empires of India
The Maurya Empire
• This was the first great Indian Empire
• Started by Chandragupta in 321 BC and lasted until 185 BC
• Was an effective ruler, harsh
• Had a secret police and specially trained women warriors guard his palace
Maurya Empire
• Most honored emperor was Asoka. Became emperor in 268 BC
• Converted the empire to Buddhism, rejected violence, and ruled by moral example.
• Set up pillars across India announcing laws and promising a righteous government.
Maurya Empire
• Asoka also brought peace and prosperity.
• After his death in 232 BC, the empire quickly declined.
• After the Mauryas came the Guptas.
Gupta Empire
• Guptas rule was looser than the Mauryas.
• Began to trade with other empires and became very wealthy.
• Invented a system of numbers, came up with a concept of zero, and developed the decimal system
Gupta Empire
• Built Stupas, large dome-shaped shrines that housed the sacred remains of the Buddha or other holy people.
• Painted murals and carved pictures and stories into the walls.
Gupta Empire
• Had many great writers and wrote stories that carried west to Persia, Egypt, and Greece.
• While the Gupta Empire reached its peak, the Roman Empire was declining.
Gupta Empire
• Declined for the same reason as the Roman Empire: weak rulers, civil war, and foreign invaders
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