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Mauryan conquest of South: Difference between revisions
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According to some Historians in 273 BCE [[Chandragupta Maurya]] captured them while Binduasra did not add anything to the [[Maurya Empire|Empire]] and just put offs some [[Rebellion|rebellions]] while some historians believe that Bindusara was the one who carried out the conquest of South with help of [[Chanakya]]. Tho a inscription of South mentions [[Ashoka]] in conquest of South but it's is not possible as his own Rock inscription mentions his only conquest was the [[Kalinga War]].<ref name=":0" /> | According to some Historians in 273 BCE [[Chandragupta Maurya]] captured them while Binduasra did not add anything to the [[Maurya Empire|Empire]] and just put offs some [[Rebellion|rebellions]] while some historians believe that Bindusara was the one who carried out the conquest of South with help of [[Chanakya]]. Tho a inscription of South mentions [[Ashoka]] in conquest of South but it's is not possible as his own Rock inscription mentions his only conquest was the [[Kalinga War]].<ref name=":0" /> | ||
==Chandragupta's Conquest== | |||
After expanding his empire beyond India, [[Chandragupta Maurya|Chandragupta]] thought about extending his rule further south, beyond the Vindhya Mountains. Plutarch says that he "conquered and controlled all of India with an army of 600,000," but we don’t have many details about this conquest. However, we do have solid evidence from Ashoka’s inscriptions. These inscriptions, found in places like Siddapura, Brahmagiri, and Jatinga-Ramesvara in southern India, show that [[Ashoka]] ruled the South. He also names southern kingdoms such as the [[Chola dynasty|Cholas]], [[Pandya dynasty|Pandyas]], Satyaputras, and Keralaputras as his neighbors in his Rock Edicts, which helps us understand where the southern borders of his empire were.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
Ashoka himself explains in his Rock Edict XIII that he only conquered [[Kalinga War|Kalinga]] and that this war caused him great regret. The violence resulted in 150,000 prisoners, 100,000 deaths, and many more wounded. [[Ashoka]] felt so guilty about the suffering caused by this battle that he decided never to pursue such violent conquests again. Instead, he promoted "Dharma-vijaya" or "Moral Conquest," focusing on peace and non-violence (Ahimsa). This shows that it was not [[Ashoka]] who conquered the South, nor his father Bindusara, despite what Plutarch suggests about [[Chandragupta Maurya|Chandragupta's]] role.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
The [[Tamil language|Tamil]] Sangam poems, like those in Akananuru and Purananuru, mention the armies and chariots of the [[Maurya Empire]], and possibly refer to the Nanda dynasty<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=degUAAAAIAAJ|title=The Smile of Murugan: On Tamil Literature of South India|last=Zvelebil|first=Kamil|date=1973|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-03591-1|pages=53–54|language=en}}</ref> as well. However, these poems, written between the first century BCE and the fifth century CE, do not mention Chandragupta Maurya by name. Some of them might actually be referring to a different Moriya dynasty in the Deccan region during the fifth century CE.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i-y6ZUheQH8C|title=Chandragupta Maurya and His Times|last=Mookerji|first=Radhakumud|date=1966|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ.|isbn=978-81-208-0405-0|pages=41–42|language=en}}</ref> Historian Upinder Singh suggests that these poems could be talking about the Mokur and Koshar kingdoms in [[Karnataka]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]], which may have had an alliance with the Maurya Empire at some point.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pq2iCwAAQBAJ|title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century|last=Singh|first=Upinder|date=2008|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=978-81-317-1677-9|pages=330–331|language=en}}</ref> | |||
==Reference== | ==Reference== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
Revision as of 13:31, 27 June 2025
| Mauryan Conquest of South | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Wars of Maurya Empire | |||||||||
 Mauryan Empire between 600 and 180 BCE, including possible expansion under Bindusara prior to 273 BCE. | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Maurya Empire |
Deccani Kingdoms Chola dynasty Chera dynasty Pandya dynastyMokur Kingdom Koshar Kingdom | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Chandragupta Bindusara Ashoka Chanakya | Unknown | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 600,000 | Unknown | ||||||||
In 303 BCE after defeating the Greeks the Maryan Empire started its expansion Southwards. Till 273 BCE the territories upto Mysore in Karnataka where captured. However their is a dispute between who actually captured them.[1]
According to some Historians in 273 BCE Chandragupta Maurya captured them while Binduasra did not add anything to the Empire and just put offs some rebellions while some historians believe that Bindusara was the one who carried out the conquest of South with help of Chanakya. Tho a inscription of South mentions Ashoka in conquest of South but it's is not possible as his own Rock inscription mentions his only conquest was the Kalinga War.[1]
Chandragupta's Conquest
After expanding his empire beyond India, Chandragupta thought about extending his rule further south, beyond the Vindhya Mountains. Plutarch says that he "conquered and controlled all of India with an army of 600,000," but we don’t have many details about this conquest. However, we do have solid evidence from Ashoka’s inscriptions. These inscriptions, found in places like Siddapura, Brahmagiri, and Jatinga-Ramesvara in southern India, show that Ashoka ruled the South. He also names southern kingdoms such as the Cholas, Pandyas, Satyaputras, and Keralaputras as his neighbors in his Rock Edicts, which helps us understand where the southern borders of his empire were.[1]
Ashoka himself explains in his Rock Edict XIII that he only conquered Kalinga and that this war caused him great regret. The violence resulted in 150,000 prisoners, 100,000 deaths, and many more wounded. Ashoka felt so guilty about the suffering caused by this battle that he decided never to pursue such violent conquests again. Instead, he promoted "Dharma-vijaya" or "Moral Conquest," focusing on peace and non-violence (Ahimsa). This shows that it was not Ashoka who conquered the South, nor his father Bindusara, despite what Plutarch suggests about Chandragupta's role.[1]
The Tamil Sangam poems, like those in Akananuru and Purananuru, mention the armies and chariots of the Maurya Empire, and possibly refer to the Nanda dynasty[2] as well. However, these poems, written between the first century BCE and the fifth century CE, do not mention Chandragupta Maurya by name. Some of them might actually be referring to a different Moriya dynasty in the Deccan region during the fifth century CE.[3] Historian Upinder Singh suggests that these poems could be talking about the Mokur and Koshar kingdoms in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which may have had an alliance with the Maurya Empire at some point.[4]
Reference
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 R K Mookerji. Chandragupta Maurya And His Times. pp. 62–64.
- ↑ Zvelebil, Kamil (1973). The Smile of Murugan: On Tamil Literature of South India. BRILL. pp. 53–54. ISBN 978-90-04-03591-1.
- ↑ Mookerji, Radhakumud (1966). Chandragupta Maurya and His Times. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. pp. 41–42. ISBN 978-81-208-0405-0.
- ↑ Singh, Upinder (2008). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. Pearson Education India. pp. 330–331. ISBN 978-81-317-1677-9.