The Mauryan Empire was the first empire to provide a single government for almost all of India. Mauryan emperors ruled from about 324 to 185 BCE. Their empire was built around Magadha, a rich kingdom in the Ganges Valley.
This empire was ruled from about 324 to about 298 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya. His grandson Asoka was the greatest emperor of ancient India. He took government very seriously, reforming taxes, encouraging trade and farming, and building walled cities with pleasant houses and paved streets. His officials travelled the country, building roads and collecting taxes from peasant farmers in the villages.
Asoka was born a Hindu, but he became a Buddhist. He then gave up war, sickened by the slaughter he had seen during his conquest of Orissa in the southeast. Asoka made new laws and had them inscribed on stone pillars set up all across his empire.
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