Historical Period · c. 1500 BC – 550 AD
Ancient India
Ancient India was a civilization of extraordinary religious and intellectual depth, the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism and home to the vast Maurya Empire.
Key Takeaways
- Ancient India was the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
- The Maurya Empire under Ashoka was one of the largest of the ancient world.
- Indian mathematicians pioneered the concept of zero and the decimal system.
- Its religions and philosophies spread across Asia along trade routes.
- Span
- c. 1500 BC – 550 AD
- Key empire
- Maurya Empire
- Religions born here
- Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism
From the cities of the Indus Valley through the Vedic age and the Maurya and Gupta empires, ancient India produced enduring religions, advances in mathematics and astronomy, and statecraft that shaped South Asia and beyond.
Ancient India was a civilization defined by spiritual and intellectual abundance. Along the Ganges plain and beyond, it gave rise to three of the world’s great religious traditions — Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism — and to philosophies of dharma, karma and rebirth that still guide billions.
It was here that Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, taught the Middle Way, founding Buddhism in the 5th century BC. Two centuries later the Maurya Empire, founded by Chandragupta Maurya and brought to its height by his grandson Ashoka, united most of the subcontinent under a single rule.
Ancient India’s contributions were not only spiritual. Its mathematicians developed the concept of zero and the decimal place-value system that underpins all modern arithmetic, while its astronomers and grammarians achieved a precision that astonished the wider ancient world.
Key Events
- The Vedic age and composition of the Vedas
- The life of the Buddha and the rise of Buddhism
- The founding and expansion of the Maurya Empire
- Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism after the Kalinga War
Major Ideas
- Dharma, karma and rebirth
- The Buddhist Middle Way
- Non-violence (ahimsa)
Major Inventions
- The concept of zero and the decimal place-value system
- Advances in astronomy and grammar
Important Figures of Ancient India
Siddhartha Gautama
97Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, was a spiritual teacher of ancient India whose insights into suffering and liberation founded Buddhism, now one of the world's major religions.
Ashoka the Great
90Ashoka was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire who, after a devastating war, embraced Buddhism and non-violence, becoming one of history's most remarkable rulers.
Chandragupta Maurya
85Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Maurya Empire, who united most of the Indian subcontinent for the first time and established one of the ancient world's great states.
Ashoka the Great
90Ashoka was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire who, after a devastating war, embraced Buddhism and non-violence, becoming one of history's most remarkable rulers.
Chandragupta Maurya
85Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Maurya Empire, who united most of the Indian subcontinent for the first time and established one of the ancient world's great states.
Siddhartha Gautama
97Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, was a spiritual teacher of ancient India whose insights into suffering and liberation founded Buddhism, now one of the world's major religions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ancient India known for?
Ancient India is known as the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, for the mighty Maurya Empire, and for mathematical breakthroughs including the concept of zero.
Which empire ruled most of ancient India?
The Maurya Empire, founded by Chandragupta Maurya and expanded under his grandson Ashoka, united most of the Indian subcontinent.