Evolving from an obscure ancient ruler to a contemporary national icon, Chandragupta Maurya's story is finally being told. However, despite tales of leading empires and defeating the successors of Alexander the Great, there is no official record of his events- only moments taken from Greek authors here and there remain. So, how can we decipher fact from fiction, and how have recent reappraisals helped shape Chandragupta's story, and more importantly - a national Indian identity?

In this episode, Tristan welcomes Dr Sushma Jansari, author of 'Chandragupta Maurya,' to the podcast to delve into the art, sources, and stories surrounding Chandragupta's life. Together they examine the role Greek diplomats played in crossing the Indus, the creation of a mighty empire, and his fall into obscurity followed by a subsequent return to fame in the 20th century. So who is Chandragupta, and how has he helped define Indian identity in the 21st century?

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code ANCIENTS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here.

You can take part in our listener survey here.

For more Ancient's content, subscribe to our Ancient's newsletter here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.