| c.300 | Λ COTTON, already reported by Herodotus: Megasthenes reports to Seleucus-I "there being trees on which wool grows in Indica". | no date: wikCot |
| c.300 | 3 Tamil empires begin in south India: CHERA Empire begins until 1200CE. CHOLA Empire begins until 1279CE. PANDYA Empire begins until 1345CE. |
300 wikSI |
| c.300 | Pancharatra Vaishnava sect is prominent. All later Vaishnava sects are based on the Pancharatra beliefs. | 300 ht |
| c.300 |  PANDYA kingdom of south India is founded. Capital is Madurai. |
300 ht |
| c.300 | Katha Upanishad written. The word "Purusha" occurs 1st time. Purusha means the Self which pervades the universe. | 400-200 stnm |
| c.300 | Jataka Tales begun until 400CE. Moralistic anecdotes and fables written in Pali language about Buddha. | 350 bk 300 pit |
 Maurya Statuettes GNU FDL |
| c.298 | Jain leader philosopher BHADRABAHU-I, at Sravana-Belgola from 310, starves himself to death. | 298 B76 I-1039 |
| c.297 | CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA dies. (Greek Sandracottos) former 1st emperor of Mauryan India 321-301, 1st to consolidate India, at Pataliputra, either fasts to death during a 12 year famine. Son BINDUSARA succeeds until 265. | 300 MRDK 297 B76 3-406, 9-351, CHI 223, 472, 641, KIH 80, LEWH 55, MCAW 293 CMoG 3-227 291 HCAI 38 290 HCAI 2 288 DGRBM 2-1008 |
| c.292 | SELEUCUS, king of Babylonia 305, ruler of Syria 301-281, makes son ANTIOCHUS-I co-king and gives him the eastern empire from the Euphrates to the Indian Ocean plus his own wife Stratonice-I, on whom Antiochus had developed a crush. Seleucus takes everything west of the Euphrates. | 294 CAH 7.1 294/3 lvA1 293 DGRBM 3-772, MCAW 293/2 CDCC 804, OCD 71 292 lvS1 |
| c.290 | ASOKA, son of Bindusara emperor of India 297-65, sent with troops as viceroy to TAXILA, which opens to him. | no date: HCIP 2-70 |
| c.290 | TAXILA, under locals from 325, submits to Asoka. Under Mauryans until 185. | no date: HCIP 2-70 |
| c.283 | CHANAKYA (Kautilya, Vishnu Gupta), scholar at Takshashila, teacher and chief advisor of Chandragupta and Bindusara, dies. Pioneer of political realism in India | 296 B76 9-323 283 wikArθ, wikChn |
| c.280 | STHAVIRA BUDDHISM 340-244, splits. PUDGALAVADINS secede. Sthaviras remain intact until 244. | 280 CSHB 28 |
| c.271 |  SATAVAHANA (aka Andhra), feudatories to the Mauryas, Dynasty of MAHARASHTRA begins until 174CE. SIMUKA is raja until 248. |
271 MRDK |
| c.267 | DEVANAMPIYA TISSA dies. Raja of Anuradhapura in Ceylon from 307. Bro UTTIYA succeeds until 257. | 267 wikDTA, wikLSLM, wikUA 210 wikAK, wikHSL 207 HCIP 2-237 |
| c.265 | Son of Chandragupta, BINDUSARA ends. 2nd Mauryan emperor at Pataliputra from 297. Son ASOKA succeeds until 232. | 273 B76 3-378, CHI 223, HCIP 2-69, MRDK, bk 273 or 65 HCIP 2-88 272 B76 9-351, KIH 80, MCAW, wikME 269 B76 4-2, OHG, WNHI 61 268 B76 9-351 265 B76 I-586, 2-205 260 HCAI 2, 38 |
| c.262 | ASOKA, Mauryan emperor at Pataliputra 265-32, campaigns against KALINGA. | 262 CHI 28, 641, LEWH 55 260 B76 9-351 yr 8 B76 2-205 |
| c.260 |  KALINGA conquered by Mauryan emperor ASOKA. 100,000 Kalingans die, 150,000 driven from their home. More die from disease and starvation in the aftermath. |
262 CHI 315, 534, 602, LEWH 55 260 KIH 91, MCAW, apwh yr. 8 HCIP 2-78 |
| c.260 | Mauryan emperor ASOKA feels remorse over conquest of Kalinga, turns Buddhist, specifically THAVIRA BUDDHIST. | 261 bk 260 TTPC 25 259 TTT 258 MCAW |
| c.260 |  Rock Edicts of ASOKA written in Greek and Aramaic like this one from Kandahar. |
260 CAH 7.1 pub dom |
CONFUSION ALERT! KANDAHAR is in Arachosia. GANDAHAR is in Gandara.
 Stupa of Sanchi Nagarjun |
| c.258 | Buddhist STUPA monument at SANCHI in Madhya Pradesh begun by Mauryan emperor ASOKA. A hemispherical brick structure (height: 12.28m, diameter: 32.32m) built over the relics of the Buddha, crowned by the chatra, a parasol-like structure symbolising high rank, intended to honor and shelter the relics. The gateway and balustrade will be built 180-160BC. Now the oldest stone structure in India. | 258 MCAW 3rd cen.: wikSn |
| c.257 | UTTIYA, raja of Anuradhapura in Ceylon from 267, ends. Bro MAHASIVA succeeds until 247. | 257 wikLSLM, wikMA, wikUA |
| c.256 | Mauryan emperor ASOKA evangelizes Buddhism to Andhras in south. | no date: B76 1-861 |
| c.256 | ASOKA makes diplomatic contacts with Nepal and Ceylon. | 256 MCAW |
| c.256 | Mauryan emperor ASOKA builds hospitals and herb gardens, encourages education of women, all under Buddhist control in opposition to Brahmins. | 260 TTPC 256 MCAW |
| Asoka encouraged respectful treatment of slaves. Some modern writers say he freed the slaves, but I have found no documentation for this. |
| c.255 | 
PILLARS of ASOKA: A series of columns dispersed thruout India, inscribed with edicts by Asoka. Originally, there must have been many pillars but only 19 survive with inscriptions, and only 6 with animal capitals. Many are now fragmentary. Averaging 12m-15m high, and weighing up to 50 tons each, they are dragged, sometimes hundreds of miles, to where they are erected. |
map PHGCOM no date: wikPlAs |
| c.252 | Rock Edict #13 of ASOKA, a column 40 ft high inscribed with laws. Mentions exchanging diplomatic missions with Antiochus-II, Ptolemy-III, Antigonus-II. | yr 13 HCIP 2-88 256 HCIP 2-88, MCAW 250 TToH |
| c.250 | ASOKA empire at Pataliputra peaks. | 250 B76 9-350, PW 16 |
| c.250 | BRAHMIN ALPHABET developed in India. | 250 PW 16 |
| c. 250 |  Mauryan architecture in Barabar Mounts. Grottoe of Lomas Rishi. Cunningham |
 Asokan pillar at Vaishali, Bihar, built by Emperor Asoka. Pebble101 |
3rd cen. wikMrA |
| c.250 | 3rd BUDDHIST COUNCIL at Pataliputra called by Asoka in his 17th year. Declares Theraveda school orthodox. Sends missionaries to various countries: Egypt, Cyrene, Macedon, Epirus, Ceylon, Indonesia. Those to the Greeks leave no trace. BUDDHIST CANON completed. | 256 OHG 253 CHI 641 250 B76 3-406, 9-354, CSHB 38, PW 16 247 B76 III-189 247/6 B76 3-1083 |
| c.250 | MOGGALIPUTTA, president of 3rd BUDDHIST COUNCIL at Pataliputra completes ABHIDHAMMA (higher dharma treatise), aka KATHAVATTHU (points of controversy). | 250 B76 3-406 |
| c.250 | "ARABIC" NUMBERS (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9): Earliest examples found on stone columns of Asoka. | 250 EIHM 513 |
| c.250 | Priestly Sanskrit, evolving from 750, takes on its classical form. | 250 ht |
| c.250 | BUDDHIST MONUMENTS begin in India. STUPAS (stone columns & wheels). Some at Anuradhapura. | 250 PW 16 |
| c.250 | Rishi Jaimini writes Purva MIMAMSA SUTRAS. Rules for interpreting Vedas and philosophical justifications for observance of Vedic rituals, by offering meaning and significance of Vedic rituals to attain Moksha. | 350 bk 3-200 wikPMS |
| c.248 | SIMUKA ends. 1st Satavahana raja of Maharashtra from 271. KRISHNA succeeds to 230. | 248 MRDK |
| c.247 | Killing animals for sport forbidden by Asoka. | 247 bk |
| c.247 | MAHASIVA ends. Raja of Anuradhapura in Ceylon from 257. Uncle SURATISSA succeeds until 237. | 247 wikAK, wikHV, wikLSLM, wikMA, wikSA 187 HCIP 2-237 Mutasiva 247 LEWH 144, CHI 641, bk |
| Devanampiya succeeds 247-07. | CHI 608 |
| c.246 | BUDDHISM reaches Ceylon. Mahinda son of Asoka, with monks Itthiya, Uttiya, Sambala, Bhaddasala, and the novice Sumana, son of his sister Sanghamitta go to Mahindatala Ceylon, where they evangelize raja SURATISSA, and convert him and his people. Suratissa invites missionaries. Buddhism becomes state religion. | 250 PW 16 247 wikAHSL, wikHSL 246 CHI 604, 608, 642, HCIP 2-234 240 CSHB 39 reign of Asoka: B76 IX-944 |
| Devanampiya instead of Suratissa. | CHI 608 |
| c.244 | STHAVIRA BUDDHISM, intact from 280 at Mathura, splits. SARVASTIVADINS, VIBHAJYAVADINS. | 250 B76 3-403 244 CSHB 28 |
| c.244 | ASOKA, Mauryan emperor at Pataliputra 265-32, Buddhist from 260, sides with VIBHAJYAVADINS. | no date: CSHB 36 |
| c.240 | SARVASTIVADIN BUDDHISTS, rejected by Asoka, go north from Mathura, convert Kashmir. | no date: CSHB 36 |
| c.240 | VIBHAJYAVADIN BUDDHISTS: Those in south India become known as THERAVADINS. They migrate to Ceylon. | no date: B76 IX-944 |
| c.237 | SURATISSA, Vijaya raja of Anuradhapura in Ceylon from 247, defeated and killed in battle by 2 Tamil horse dealers from south India, SENA and GUTTIKA, who rule until 215. | 237 wikAK, wikHV, wikLSLM, wikSA, wikS&G 236 vrb 177 HCIP 2-237 |
| c.232 | Son of Bindusara, ASOKA dies. 3rd Mauryan emperor at Pataliputra from 265. Son KUNALA succeeds in west until 225. Son DASARATHA succeeds in east until 225. Empire declines quickly. | 238 or 32 B76 I-586, 3-406, 8-911 237/6 CHI 503 236 CHI 223, conze 17, bk 232 B76 3-378, 4-2, CMoG2 249, MCAW, MRDK, TAWH 73, 82, WNHI 61, wikME, wikSI 231 KIH 101 222 HCAI 38 |
| c.230 | KRISHNA ends. 2nd Satavahana raja of Maharashtra from 248. SATAKARNI-I succeeds until 220. | 230 MRDK |
| c.230 | SATAVAHANA (aka Andhara Andhra), feudatories to the Mauryas, go independent. Satavahana Dynasty of MAHARASHTRA begins until 174CE. |
230 wikI, wikSd 225 CHI 642 |
| c.225 | Son of Asoka, KUNALA ends. Mauryan emperor of west from 232. Son SAMPRATI succeeds in west until ?. | 225 MRDK |
| c.225 | Son of Asoka, DASARATHA ends. Mauryan emperor of east from 232, ends. SAMPRATI succeeds until 215. | 225 MRDK 224 wikME |
| c.220 | KALINGA becomes kingdom. CHETA dynasty. |
220 CHI 642 |
| c.220 | SATAKARNI-I ends. Raja of Maharashtra from 230. PURNOTSANGA succeeds to 202. | 220 MRDK |
| c.215 | SAMPRATI ends. Mauryan emperor of east from 225. SALISUKA succeeds until 202. | 215 wikME |
| c.215 | SENA and GUTTIKA, rulers of Anuradhapura in Ceylon from 237, defeated in battle and deposed by ASELA, youngest son of Mutasiva, who revives the Vijaya dynasty until 205. | 215 wikAA, wikAK, wikHV, wikLSLM, wikS&G |
| c.209 | KHARAVELA becomes king of Kalinga. KHARAVELA Empire begins until 170. | 209 wikSI 193 wikKr |
| c.207 | DEVANAMPIYA TISSA, Vijaya raja of Ceylon from 247, dies. UTTAYA succeeds to 197. | 210 wikAHSL 207 B76 3-411, CHI 608, 641, LEWH 144, bk |
| c.206 | ANTIOCHUS-III Megas king of Syria/Babylonia 223-187 marches southeast from Bactria, crosses the Hindu-Kush into Cabul valley, to get elephants, renews friendship treaty (originated by Seleucus with Chandragupta) with hindu rajah SOPHAGASENOS. Antiochus receives 150 elephants & treasure. | 206 B76 1-993, BHS 2-23, CAH 8-142, CHI 512, GHH, HCIP 2-102 |
| c.205 | CEYLON invaded by a Tamil prince ELARA of the Chola dynasty. Under Tamils until 103. | 205 wikAA, wikE |
| c.205 | ASELA killed. Vijaya raja of Anuradhapura in Ceylon from 215. VIJAYA DYNASTY from 543 suspended until 88. ELARA, succeeds as raja in Ruhuna (Rajarata) until 161. TAMIL dynasty begins until 77. | 205 wikAA, wikAK, wikE, wikHV, wikHSL, wikLSLM 145 HCIP 2-237 |
| c.202 | PURNOTSANGA ends. Satavahana raja of Maharashtra from 220. SKANDA STAMBHI succeeds to 184. | 202 MRDK |
| totally different names & dates | wikSD |
| c.202 | SALISUKA ends. Mauryan emperor of east from 215, ends. DEVAVARMAN succeeds until 195. | 202 wikME |
India 200-101
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