AshokaAshoka (əˈʃoʊkə, ; also Asoka; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third Mauryan Emperor of Magadha in the Indian subcontinent during 268 to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west to present-day Bangladesh in the east, with its capital at Pataliputra. A patron of Buddhism, he is credited with playing an important role in the spread of Buddhism across ancient Asia.
PataliputraPataliputra (IAST: ), adjacent to modern-day Patna, was a city in ancient India, originally built by Magadha ruler Ajatashatru in 490 BCE, as a small fort () near the Ganges river. Udayin laid the foundation of the city of Pataliputra at the confluence of two rivers, the Son and the Ganges. He shifted his capital from Rajgriha to Pataliputra due to the latter's central location in the empire. It became the capital of major powers in ancient India, such as the Shishunaga Empire (413–345 BCE), Nanda Empire (460 or 420-325 BCE), the Maurya Empire (320–180 BCE), the Gupta Empire (320–550 CE), and the Pala Empire (750–1200 CE).
