No political empire lasts forever. Every empire in history collapsed or
some reason or another. Some causes of the Mauryan decline are
common and include: the weakness of leaders, vastness of the
empire, independence of the provinces, and internal revolt.
Vastness of the Empire
The Mauryan Empire was too large in its extent. While extending to the farthest corners of the Indian subcontinent it also included territories outside the natural frontiers of India. This vastness was itself a source of
weakness rather than of strength because of the lack of communication. Distances were so great that the
empire could not remain a closely integrated political unit for a longer time.
Weak Successors of Asoka
The first three Mauryan Emperors were Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara and Asoka the Great. They were
men of exceptional abilities. As heroes, conquerors, and administrators, they were indeed great. But, just
because a father has an exceptional ability to lead, it does not mean that his sons and grandsons have that
ability. Asoka’s successors (sons and grandsons) did not prove themselves worthy of the Great Mauryans.
Independence of the Provinces
Though the Mauryan government started off strong enough to control the distant provinces, it was also
necessary for the provincial governments to have a little independence. When the king’s power declined and
his authority became weak, the provinces became much more independent.
Revolt Within India
When the Mauryan rule was weakening, there finally came a death blow. Indians in the empire revolted and
were led by the chief of the Mauryan army, General Pushyamitra Sunga in about 186 B.C. Bana, the famous
author of Harsha-Charita described the incident saying that Pushyamitra held a parade of the army which he
invited the King to witness. This created an opportunity to kill him on the spot with the support of the army.
Achievements
The Indians of the Mauryan period created many great works of art including Hindu temples and Sanskrit
writings. The Mahabharata is one of the most famous religious epics written in Sanskrit. It tells the story of
two families who struggle for control of a kingdom. Included in the story are religious passages about Hindu
beliefs.
Indian scholars from the Mauryan (and later Gupta) Empire also made important advancements in
metalworking, math, and sciences. The ancient Indians were pioneers of metallurgy, the science of working
with metals. Their knowledge allowed them to create high quality tools and weapons. Metalworkers made
their strongest products from iron, which became a popular trade item. Indians also knew processes for
mixing metals to create alloys, mixtures of two or more metals. Alloys are sometimes stronger or easier to
work with than pure metals.
Ancient Indians were skilled in the medical sciences and were the first to practice inoculation, injecting
someone with a small dose of a virus to help him or her build up defenses to a disease. Indian doctors also
performed surgeries to repair broken bones, treat wounds, and remove tonsils.
Ancient Indians also developed an interest in astronomy, the study of the stars and planets. Indian
astronomers knew of seven of the planets of our solar system, and knew that the sun was a star. They could
also predict the eclipses of the sun and moon.
Scholars of the later Gupta Empire were among the most advanced mathematicians of their day. They
developed many elements of our modern math system. The numbers we used today, called the Hindu-Arabic
numerals, were created by Indian scholars and brought to Europe by the Arabs. The Indians were also the first
to create the zero. Although it seems like a small thing, modern math would not be possible without it.