The History of the World Podcast, written and presented by Chris Hasler

volume three the classical world

episode 62

the Gupta Empire. So, Although this week's episode is focusing on the Gupta Empire, we will also join the dots and follow the

story of India after the fall of the Moria Empire. If you recall, we studied the Moria Empire in episode 59 and its most well-known

monarch Ashoka the Great in episode 60. A show of the Great is very well known for his radical change

of morals when he turned his back on his ruthless and bloodthirsty campaigns

throughout the Indian subcontinent for a life of piety, remorse and

penance when he became a major advocate of Buddhism.

Shunga. The last Morian ruler was a king called Briadrathra Moria and we mentioned him towards

the end of the Moria episode as the ruler who was assassinated

on the premise that he was attending a military parade only to find that the Army General

Pushamitra Shunga had planned the assassination, which was successfully carried out.

Pushamitra would then take control of the Morian center of power based at the capital of the traditional kingdom of Margada at the city of Patale Putra.

The Schenga dynasty marked a great change in the tradition of the empire of Pataliputra.

In order to validate his claim to the throne, Pushamitra would carry out the Ashfa Meida sacrifice where a horse would be set free but guarded

for a year by royal warriors.

If the horse survived this year without being killed by a rival, then the king himself would sacrifice

it in a demonstration of his qualification to rule.

Animal sacrifice was not something approved by Buddhism, so it was clear that Pishamitra was not a supporter of Buddhism.

Worse still, he actually persecuted Buddhist monks.

He is described as a follower of Hinduism.

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