ancient indian history timeline Flashcards
Year
Event
c.400 BC
Gautama ‘Buddha’ founds Buddhism
333 BC
Persian rule in the northwest ends after Darius III is defeated by Alexander the Great. Alexander had established the Macedonian Empire after inheriting the Persian Achaemenid Empire.
326 BC
Ambhi, king of Taxila surrenders to Alexander. Porus who ruled parts of the Punjab, fought Alexander at the Battle of the Hydaspes River.
321 BC
Mauryan Empire is founded by Chandragupta Maurya in Magadha after he defeats the Nanda dynasty and Macedonian Seleucid Empire. Mauryan capital city is Patliputra (Modern Patna in Bihar)
305 BC
Chandragupta Maurya defeats Seleucus Nicator of the Seleucid Empire.
304 BC
Seleucus gives up his territories in the subcontinent (Afghanistan/Baluchistan) to Chandragupta in exchange for 500 elephants. Seleucus offers to marry his daughter to Chandragupta to seal their friendship.
273 BC
Ashoka the Great, grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, ascends as emperor of the Mauryan Empire.
266 BC
Ashoka conquers and unifies most of South Asia, along with Afghanistan and eastern Iran.
265 BC
Kalinga War takes place. After conquering Kalinga, Ashoka regrets the killings in the war, leading him to adopt Buddhism, which then became the quasi-official state religion of the Mauryan Empire.
260s
Ashoka begins displaying religious tolerance, grants animal rights, builds hospitals for people and animals, treats his subjects as equals regardless of caste or creed, and promotes non-violence and republicanism. Ashoka inscribes the Edicts of Ashoka, written down using Brahmi script.
232 BC
Ashoka dies and is succeeded by Kunala.
230 BC
Simuka declares independence from Mauryan rule and establishes the Satavahana Empire.
200 BC
Kuninda Kingdom established.
200-100 BC
Tholkappiyam describes the grammar and morphology of Tamil; it is the oldest existing Tamil grammar (dates vary between 200 BCE and 100 CE).
