Heroes

Soon after, a strong and clever young man named Chandragupta rose to power. He built a mighty empire stretching from the Himalayas to the southern plains, with Pataliputra as its grand capital. The city was surrounded by giant wooden walls and towers, and even had a moat filled with crocodiles for protection! Chandragupta’s army was said to have 9,000 war elephants, 30,000 horsemen, and 600,000 soldiers, making it one of the largest armies in the ancient world. The empire was so well-guarded that even travelers like the Greek writer Megasthenes called it one of the most organized and beautiful places they had ever seen

Years later, Chandragupta’s grandson Ashoka became emperor. He fought a terrible battle called the Kalinga War, where thousands of people died. Saddened by the suffering, Ashoka gave up violence and chose peace instead. He set up tall stone pillars all over his empire, carved with messages about kindness, honesty, and respect for all life. These are called the Ashokan Edicts, and some still stand today!