After Alexander's death, there were power struggles among the satraps, which led to fighting among themselves.

Ashoka sent his own son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka to spread Buddhism.

Agriculture, production of glazed pottery, shipbuilding, weaving and dyeing cloth, metal work, pottery, ivory work and trade were the occupations of the people during the Maurya period.

The engravings of lion, elephant and bull were found on the Ashoka pillars

While returning to Greece Alexander appointed Greek officers to administer the conquered territories. They were called satraps.

Sudarshan was a dam built by Chandragupta Maurya near Junagadh in Gujarat

‘Devanampiyo Piyadasi' was the title assumed by Emperor Ashoka which was engraved on stone inscriptions and pillar edicts raised by him.

During the Mauryan time, the board game of chess was known as Ashtapad, and it was immensely popular among the people.

• Chandragupta conquered Magadha by defeating Dhananand.
• He won Avanti and Saurashtra and began to extend the boundaries of his empire.
• He defeated Seleucus Nicator which led to the inclusion of the northwest region of Kabul, Kandahar and Herat in the Maurya Empire.

• Emperor Ashoka further expanded the Mauryan empire.
• His empire stretched up to Afghanistan in the north-west, Nepal in north, up to Bay of Bengal in the east,
• Saurashtra in the west, as Well as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in the south.

Alexander had to turn back, because –

• His soldiers rose in rebellion
• Alexander also came to know about the rebellions in the territories he had conquered.

The Greek coins were characteristic, because –

• They had the picture of the king on one side and of some deity on the other.
• The kings name was also inscribed on the
• Later, Indian kings, began to mint coins in the Greek style.

After his victory in the Kalinga war, Ashoka decided never to wage war again, because –

• He was moved by the terrible bloodshed in that war.
• He was convinced that truth, non-violence, compassion and forgiveness were the important values than war.

• Emperor Ashoka laid stress on the creation of facilities for the welfare and happiness of the people.
• He started free hospitals for people as well as animals.
• He began the cultivation of medicinal plants.
• He built roads and dharmashalas for the convenience of travellers.
• He had trees planted on both sides of the roads.
• He had sheds erected to provide drinking water to travellers.
• Ponds were also dug at many places as per his orders.

• The people in the Maurya period celebrated several functions and festivals.
• There were dance, music concerts and wrestling competitions.
• They played board-games including Ashtapad, i.e. chess.