Patrick Olivelle’s new book, Ashoka: Portrait of a Philosopher King, on the Mauryan emperor views him purely as a historical figure, without the myths – using only the ancient emperor’s own ...

Ashoka symbolizes one of India's great ages. After years of brutal rule and the bloody Battle of Kalinga, Ashoka felt tremendous regret for the violence he wrought upon his enemies. He converted to ...

Upset with his violent conquests that killed hundreds of thousands, the Indian king Ashoka embraced Buddhism and treated his subjects humanely. Emperor Ashoka is credited with remaking the Mauyran ...

Nayanjot Lahiri’s first effort at narrative history, Finding Forgotten Cities (2005) – about the discovery of the Indus Civilisation almost exactly a hundred years ago – has inspired many students of ...

In his new book 'Ashoka: Portrait of a Philosopher King', Professor Patrick Olivelle talks about the life, moral philosophy and ideals of Mauryan emperor Ashoka.

Gaps in our knowledge of the ancient world practically force authors to construct their arguments with doubtful materials. So much has been lost, and what sources remain must be handled with care and ...