Changes

=== Classical Indian Civilization ===

=== Classical Indian Civilization ===

The beginning of classical India was when the Achaemenid Persians invaded the Indus Valley region in 572 B.C.  Aryans led by Magadha joined together to repel the Persians, but internal religious conflict prevented unity.  Later Alexander the Great invaded in 327 B.C., spreading Greek influence in the region, but he was unable to completely conquer India and did not stay long.  Afterwards, in 322 B.C., Chandragupta Mauryan defeated the Greek general Seleucus and became king, creating the largest Indian empire in its history.  He built an elaborate capital city at Pataliputra, surpassing even the splendor of the great Persian cities.  He built a massive army of 500,000 soldiers and his advisor, Kautilya, wrote a book how to maintain political power called the Arthashastra, in which he wrote that punishment was the key to government.  In other words, Chandragupta was a tough dictator.  But his name is revered, as many Indians to this day bear the last name of “Chandra” or “Gupta”.

The beginning of classical India was when the Achaemenid Persians invaded the Indus Valley region in 572 B.C.  Aryans led by Magadha joined together to repel the Persians, but internal religious conflict prevented unity.  Later Alexander the Great invaded in 327 B.C., spreading [[Greeks|Greek]] influence in the region, but he was unable to completely conquer India and did not stay long.  Afterwards, in 322 B.C., Chandragupta Mauryan defeated the Greek general Seleucus and became king, creating the largest Indian empire in its history.  He built an elaborate capital city at Pataliputra, surpassing even the splendor of the great Persian cities.  He built a massive army of 500,000 soldiers and his advisor, Kautilya, wrote a book how to maintain political power called the Arthashastra, in which he wrote that punishment was the key to government.  In other words, Chandragupta was a tough dictator.  But his name is revered, as many Indians to this day bear the last name of “Chandra” or “Gupta”.

His grandson, Ashoka, underwent a religious conversion from Hinduism to Buddhism while he held power (268-232 B.C.).  Buddhism emphasizes non-violence and Ashoka’s conversion caused him to rule as a benevolent dictator, stressing compassion and apologizing for his role in killing 150,000 Indians!  He displayed tolerance towards all religions and helped erect shrines to Hinduism and Jainism, another religion of India.  He elevated the status of women, who were already highly respected under the Hindu culture.  In Buddhism women could become monks.  He also promoted trade with the expanding Roman empire to his West, and the growing Han dynasty in China to his East.  After Ashoka died, the empire fell into civil war, and became vulnerable to outside invaders, such as the Bactrian Greeks in the second century B.C. and the Buddhist Kushan in 100 B.C.  A council of Buddhist monks was convened under Kanishka to regulate Buddhism, and the result was Mahayana Buddhism.

His grandson, Ashoka, underwent a religious conversion from Hinduism to Buddhism while he held power (268-232 B.C.).  Buddhism emphasizes non-violence and Ashoka’s conversion caused him to rule as a benevolent dictator, stressing compassion and apologizing for his role in killing 150,000 Indians!  He displayed tolerance towards all religions and helped erect shrines to Hinduism and Jainism, another religion of India.  He elevated the status of women, who were already highly respected under the Hindu culture.  In Buddhism women could become monks.  He also promoted trade with the expanding Roman empire to his West, and the growing Han dynasty in China to his East.  After Ashoka died, the empire fell into civil war, and became vulnerable to outside invaders, such as the Bactrian Greeks in the second century B.C. and the Buddhist Kushan in 100 B.C.  A council of Buddhist monks was convened under Kanishka to regulate Buddhism, and the result was Mahayana Buddhism.