Magadh to Mauryas: Ancient Bihar History for BPSC
Table of Contents
Ancient Bihar is the heart of early Indian history. Many BPSC questions come straight from this period.
Rise of Magadh
Magadh became powerful among the mahajanapadas because of fertile land, rivers, iron resources and strong rulers.
- Bimbisara and Ajatashatru of the Haryanka dynasty expanded the kingdom.
- The capital moved from Rajgir to Pataliputra.
- The Nanda dynasty followed and built a large empire.
The Mauryan empire
Chandragupta Maurya founded the empire with Pataliputra as the capital. Ashoka later spread the message of Dhamma after the Kalinga war.
Religion and learning
- Buddhism and Jainism both have deep links with Bihar.
- Bodh Gaya is where the Buddha attained enlightenment.
- Nalanda and Vikramshila were famous centres of learning.
Tip: Build a timeline of dynasties with the capital and a key event for each. It is the fastest way to revise.
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