Key Facts
- Approximate dates
- c. 323–321 BCE
- Attacker
- Chandragupta Maurya
- Defender
- Emperor Dhana Nanda (Nanda dynasty)
- Capital besieged
- Pataliputra
- Mercenary forces cited
- Bahlika, Kirata, Parasika, Kamboja, Saka, Greek
Strategic Narrative Overview
Chandragupta assembled a diverse army that, according to the Mudrarakshasa legends, included Bahlika, Kirata, Parasika, Kamboja, Saka, and Greek mercenaries. This coalition force campaigned against the Nanda Empire over approximately two years. The decisive phase was the invasion and capture of the Nanda capital, Pataliputra, where Chandragupta's forces defeated the army of Emperor Dhana Nanda and overthrew his rule.
01 / The Origins
In the late 4th century BCE, the Nanda dynasty ruled Magadha as one of the most powerful states in ancient India. Chandragupta Maurya, an ambitious military leader supported by the strategist Chanakya (Kautilya), sought to overthrow the Nandas and seize control of Magadha. The Nanda rulers were reportedly unpopular, creating political conditions that Chandragupta exploited to build a broad coalition of allied forces and mercenaries.
03 / The Outcome
The fall of Pataliputra ended the Nanda dynasty and allowed Chandragupta Maurya to establish the Mauryan Empire in Magadha around 321 BCE. This new empire would grow to become one of the largest in ancient India, eventually spanning much of the subcontinent. The conflict marked a fundamental shift in power across northern India, replacing an established dynasty with a new imperial order.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Chandragupta Maurya.
Side B
1 belligerent
Dhana Nanda.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.