Who Was Ashoka (Asoka)?:
Ashoka was the 3rd king of the dynasty that unified the Indian subcontinent for the first time: the Mauryan Dynasty. One of the borders for the empire that Ashoka mentions is Tamrapami, which may be all the way to Sri Lanka/Ceylon, an island in the Indian Ocean. He ruled from c. 270 B.C. until his death in 232.
During his lifetime, Ashoka's reputation changed. He was known for his cruelty early on, but later, for his great acts and edicts, including an emphasis on ahimsā, Ghandi-style non-violence (Korom). The nobler phase of his reign followed Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism, which came after he had waged a bloody war in Kalinga, in c. 265. Originally a Hindu he converted to Buddhism in c. 262 (according to "Holy Cow! The Apotheosis of Zebu, or Why the Cow Is Sacred in Hinduism," by Frank J. Korom; Asian Folklore Studies (2000)). In honor of the Buddha, Ashoka reduced the tax burden on the village of Buddha's birth, Lumbini (according to "close Historical Memory without History," by Romila Thapar; Economic and Political Weekly (2007)).
Ashoka's capital was in Pataliputra, from which he controlled northern India and 14 other states, extending to Bactria, in the west, and southern India to the Krishna River. Likened to Constantine spreading Christianity, Ashoka helped spread Buddhism beyond the Indian subcontinent into Asia.
Occupation:
RulerAshoka Dates:
304 - 232 B.C.
Askoka was the son of the 2nd king of the Indian Mauryan dynasty, Bindusara, and perhaps the Brahman queen Subhadrangi. Bindusara was the son of the founder of the Mauryan dynasty, Chandragupta Maurya, who began his expansion into western India in 322, after Alexander the Great left.
Edicts of Ashoka:
Ashoka posted "the edicts of Ashoka" on large, animal-topped pillars, chiseled in the ancient Brahmi script, rather than Sanskrit. Mostly reforms, the edicts also list public works projects, including universities, roads, hospitals, and irrigation systems. In these edits, Ashoka calls himself "Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi," according to King Ashoka - His Edicts and His Times, where you'll find translations of the edits. The edicts are found in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Also Known As:
"(1) There is no attempt by the ruler to impose his personal faith on his subjects.
(2) Likewise, the king repeatedly exhorts his subjects to respect holy men and faiths of other communities. But also,
(3) the king bans such popular practices as animal sacrifice and certain congregations specific to certain communities, on grounds of their being harmful to the state's objective of maintaining communal harmony. In his Jaugada edict he even issues a veiled threat to those commnunities who fail to toe the royal line. In this way, while allowing and promoting internal autonomy for all communities alike, Ashoka firmly places the state above all the various churches."
Ashoka is on the list of Most Important People to Know in Ancient History.
Also see About.com's Guide to Asian History's biography of Ashoka.
