Classical India
Discover classical India — the era of the Maurya and Gupta empires that produced Buddhism, the concept of zero, and the Golden Age of Indian culture.
Classical India (c. 322 BCE – 550 CE) encompasses the Maurya and Gupta empires — the two great imperial periods of ancient Indian history. During these centuries, the Indian subcontinent experienced political unification, cultural flowering, and intellectual achievements that would influence civilizations across Asia and eventually the world.
The Maurya Empire (c. 322–185 BCE) first unified most of the subcontinent. Under Ashoka, it became a vehicle for spreading Buddhist principles of nonviolence and ethical governance. After the Mauryas' decline, a period of political fragmentation followed, during which Indian culture continued to develop through the Shunga, Kushan, and Satavahana dynasties.
The Gupta Empire (c. 320–550 CE) presided over what historians call India's Golden Age. Gupta-era mathematicians developed the decimal numeral system and the concept of zero. Astronomers calculated planetary orbits with remarkable accuracy. Sanskrit literature reached its artistic peak. Hindu temple architecture evolved into the elaborate forms that would spread to Southeast Asia. Buddhism and Hinduism both flourished, and Indian cultural influence — carried by merchants, monks, and scholars — reshaped societies from Afghanistan to Indonesia.