Maurya Empire

Maurya Empire, Indian imperial dynasty, 325–183 B.C., founded by Chandragupta Maurya. Its capital was near modern Patna. Chandragupta Maurya's grandson Asoka (d. 232) brought almost the whole subcontinent under one rule and made Buddhism the state religion. Under Mauryan art, there was a flowering of the Indian Buddhist culture.

See also: Asoka; Chandragupta, Maurya.