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Ashoka

Portrait of a Philosopher King
By Patrick Olivelle
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Brief Description
An illuminating biography reconstructing the life and legacy of a unique king in world history and the most famous emperor in South Asian history. There are few historical figures more integral to South Asian history than Emperor Ashoka, a third-century BCE king who ruled over a... Read More
Format: Hardback
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An illuminating biography reconstructing the life and legacy of a unique king in world history and the most famous emperor in South Asian history

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

An illuminating biography reconstructing the life and legacy of a unique king in world history and the most famous emperor in South Asian history.

There are few historical figures more integral to South Asian history than Emperor Ashoka, a third-century BCE king who ruled over a larger area of the Indian subcontinent than anyone else before British colonial rule. Ashoka sought not only to rule his territory but also to give it a unity of purpose and aspiration, to unify the people of his vastly heterogeneous empire not by a cult of personality but by the cult of an ideaβ€”"dharma"β€”which served as the linchpin of a new moral order.

He aspired to forge a new moral philosophy that would be internalised not only by the people of his empire but also by rulers and subjects of other countries, and would form the foundation for his theory of international relations, in which practicing dharma would bring international conflicts to an end.

His fame spread far and wide both in India and in other parts of Asia, and it prompted diverse reimaginations of the king and his significance. In this deeply researched book, Ashoka, Patrick Olivelle draws on Ashoka’s inscriptions and on the art and architecture he pioneered to craft a detailed picture of Ashoka as a ruler, a Buddhist, a moral philosopher, and an ecumenist who governed a vast multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic, and multi-religious empire.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780300270006

Publisher: Yale University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 27 February 2024

Country: United States

Imprint: Yale University Press

Illustration: 19 color + 1 b-w illus.

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 408

Collections

Ancient & Classical History Asian History Biography & Memoir History & Archaeology History & Military Non-Fiction Patrick Olivelle Philosophy & Psychology Philosophy & Stoicism Royalty & Religion Biographies

About the Author

Patrick Olivelle is professor emeritus in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Texas. His recent publications include YājΓ±avalkya: A Treatise on Dharma and Hindu Law: A New History of Dharmaśāstra. He lives in Austin, TX.

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