Why is the monarchy of Asoka considered enlightened?

Why is the monarchy of Asoka considered enlightened?

In ancient times, kings mostly ruled with an iron hand and were considered omnipotent. They were wee thought to be representatives of Gods, and ruled by divine decree. Yet some kings stand out for their benevolence. One such is Emperor Asoka who ruled Magadha in India from 273 BC to 232 BC. His empire includes almost all of India and what is Bangladesh and Pakistan today.


In 261 BC, he fought the Battle of Kalinga, which was to become a turning point in his life. This bloody war left more than 200000 casualties in its wake. Asoka was shocked and greatly saddened by this sight and decided that victory in war was not worth the price to be paid in terms of human misery. He renounced military conquest as a national policy, and converted to Buddhism. Animal and human sacrifices were banned. Missionaries were sent to all parts of his vast empire, and also to foreign lands to spread the message of non-violence and Buddhism. Sri Lanka was one such country that accepted this re religion as a result of Asoka’s efforts.


Emperor Asoka was also an able ruler, expanding trade, undertaking public works, encouraging arts and establishing institutions that worked for the welfare of his people. From an aggressive ruler, Asoka had become a man with a conscience, and thus, is considered the world’s first truly ‘enlightened’ monarch.

Why is Alexander considered great?

Why is Alexander considered great?

In the 4th century BC, Alexander a Greek general, established an empire that included both Europe and Asia, and stretched from Greece to India. he is popularly known as Alexander the Great, who lived from 356 to 323 BC.


Alexander was the son of Philip of Macedonia, who had brought the whole of Greece under his rule. Succeeding his father at the young age 20, Alexander his short rule of 13 years, was able to build the greatest empire that existed at that time. He defeated Darius II twice to conquer Persia and Mesopotamia. He captured Tyre after a siege of seven months, before invading and capturing Egypt. He pushed on till he reached northern India. Satisfied at last at having conquered the world, he led his warriors home. But he died in Babylon, stricken with fever at the young age of 33.


Apart from the fact that Alexander had established one of the largest empires of all times, the true importance and its greatness lies in yet another aspect. For the first time, there could be a free exchange of ideas between two different cultures. Unlike other conquerors, Alexander was open to the ideas of his conquered people, and freely absorbed them.

Who was Hippocrates?

Who was Hippocrates?

Hippocrates (460-377 BC) was a great physician who lived during the Golden Age of Greece. Modern medicine can trace its root to his ideas.


Living at a time when diseases were treated by which doctors and magicians, Hippocrates was like a doctor of the 20th century. He said while curing the sick, a doctor should ‘consider the nature of humans in general, and of each individual and the characteristics of each disease’. In short his view was that the doctor should look into the whole human mechanism rather than focus on the symptom of a disease. He recommended that ‘exercise strengthens and inactivity wastes’.


Hippocrates did not make many discoveries, and his theory of blood circulation was wrong. But what he did was to formulate the theoretical base and the procedures by which medical science was to develop in the future. In fact, he laid down the framework of modern medical practice.

Hippocrates Oath

The Hippocrates Oath, written by Hippocrates, way back in the 4th century BC, is still respected and recited by doctors the world over. It is the foundation of the modern medical ethics. The tenets contained in it relate to a doctor’s duty to treat anyone, regardless of his social status.

What is the importance of the Golden Age of Greece?

What is the importance of the Golden Age of Greece?

The Golden Age of Greece was from 450 to 322 BC. During this period, there wee many outstanding thinkers, writers and theoreticians who exerted a great influence on Western history.


Among the great minds that lived during this period, three name stand out – Socrates (469 – 399 BC), his student Plato (427 – 347 BC) and Aristotle (384 – 322 BC), who in turn was taught by Plato. Socrates was a witty orator and a brilliant philosopher, and many consider him to be the father of Western philosophy.


Socrates theorized that an ideal government was made up of wise men ruling for the general welfare of the society. Plato elaborated these ideals in his book, ‘The Republic’. Aristotle studied medicine along with philosophy, and he brought a method to the study of the relation between man other aspects of the world in which he lived. Alexander the Great was taught by Aristotle. Along with other great scholars who lived during this Golden Age, these three were largely responsible for formulating the basis of modern Western culture.

Who was Cyrus the Great?

Who was Cyrus the Great?

Cyrus the Persian, later known as ‘the Great’ was one of the greatest warriors of the ancient world. This military genius forged a band of ill equipped men into superb Army, which went on to establish the first truly great empire in civilization. Cyrus first led his men against Astyages of Media (551 BC) and then against Lydia (546 BC), the city of King Croesus whose name even today is synonymous with great wealth. Cyrus then moved to attack Babylon, which was ruled by Nabonidus. Nabonidus had offended the priests of the god Bel Marduk by bringing in other gods. Cyrus arrived at the mighty walls of the great city in 538 BC. After a brief skirmish, Cyrus and his men entered the city without fighting, helped by local priests. Though a conqueror, Cyrus proved to be a just and humane ruler. He respected local customs and religions, and even allowed the long-exiled Jews to leave Babylon and return to Jerusalem

Who was Pythagoras? Why did he become so important?

Who was Pythagoras? Why did he become so important?

Pythagoras was a multi-faceted genius who made contributions in various fields. he was Greek, but settled in Southern Italy and founded the school of Pythagoreans. He is regarded as one the greatest of Greek philosophers. However, his early works were based on the knowledge of the ancient world, which he reintroduced to his own times. He made a great discovery in music, in which he determined that an octave has eight notes. The Pythagoras Theory that he expounded has made him a house hold name even today. This famous mathematical theorem was evolved from a study of the ancient Egyptian engineers who constructed right angled triangles with sides in the ratio 3:4:5. With the aid of Mathematics, Pythagoras also proved that the earth is sphere.

Legend of Rome

Legend of Rome

There are two legends related to the founding of Rome. One says that the founder was Aeneas, the Trojan warrior. But the more popular and colourful one, featured the twin brother, Romulus and Remus, who wee brought up by a she wolf.


The legend says that the date for the founding of Rome was fixed in April 753 BC. As was the custom, fires were lit and every man leaped through it to cleanse himself of evil. Then Romulus harnessed a white cow and a bull and ploughed a furrow through the lines of where the walls of the city were to be. Such lines wee considered sacred, and men could cross it only at the points where the gates were meant to be. But Remus, leaped over the furrow, exclaiming, ‘Will such defences as these keep your city’? Romulus struck Remus down for his disrespect and said ‘So let it happen to all those who pass over my walls’

When was Rome founded?

When was Rome founded?

Around 1000 BC, a wave of invaders crossed the Alps and occupied parts of Central and Southern Italy. Coming from the Indo-European stock, they were made up of four tribes – Samnites, Sabines, Umbrians and Latins.


The Latins settled in Central Italy in small villages that they built for themselves. By 753 BC, when forty such villages came being, they decided to build a city and chose a site on the banks of the River Tiber. While they were at this work, they faced constant threat from their neighbours, the Etruscans, who were settled on the north of the Tiber. The Latins realized that their enemies could cross the river at only one point and that the Palatine Hill overlooked this point. Hence, they chose that as the site for the new city that came to be known as Rome. Seven kings ruled Rome until it became a republic in 509 BC

Victory of the first woman at the Olympics

Victory of the first woman at the Olympics

In Ancient Greece, only freeborn male citizens could take part in the Olympic Games. Women were forbidden, on penalty of death, to even see the games. One woman the mother of Pisidours, did successfully defy the death penalty. She continued the training of her son after his father died. She attended the Games by disguising herself as a man. She was not recognized until she shouted with joy over her son’s victory. She was pardoned, and in time, women were allowed in the Games

How did dinosaurs become extinct?

How did dinosaurs become extinct?

Paleontologists believe that dinosaurs became extinct over 65 million years ago. But no one is sure how these great creatures vanished.


One theory explains the extinction of dinosaurs by saying hat an asteroid 10 km wide struck the earth. As it struck this asteroid sent dust and steam into the atmosphere, causing huge forest fires and tidal waves. It probably eliminated all sunlight, for at least six months. Without sunlight and plant life even the gigantic dinosaurs were unable to survive.


Other scientist believe that climate change caused the extinction of dinosaurs. According to them, sudden cold temperatures destroyed the plants that herbivorous dinosaurs ate, causing them to die of starvation, which in turn affected the meat eaters.


Another theory says that it was a series of volcanic eruptions that caused such mass destruction. When volcanoes erupt, they send huge clouds of dust, sulfuric acid and poisonous gases into the air. Dinosaurs could never have survived such a hostile, environment!


It has been suggested that disease was the killer of the dinosaurs. With the passage of time, more land bridges started to appear on Earth. Oceans dried up, and dinosaurs were able to walk across new landmasses. As they searched for food, they came into contact with other dinosaurs. The dinosaurs may have carried diseases that they were immune to, but which infected and destroyed new dinosaurs to the area.