Ashoka the Great (304–232 BCE) ascends as emperor of the Mauryan Empire. He then conquers and unifies most of South Asia, along with parts of Afghanistan and Iran. After conquering the adjacent kingdom of Kalinga in 265 BCE, Ashoka has regrets over his warlike tendencies, adopts Buddhism, and makes it the official religion of the Mauryan Empire.
In the 260s BCE, Ashoka grants increasing religious and social tolerance, as well as animal rights. He builds hospitals for the poor and for animals, and treats his subjects as equals regardless of class or creed. He promotes non–violence and republicanism. His historical zenith is probably the Edicts of Ashoka, which codify his historic reforms.