Understanding the Seleucid–Mauryan War and Key Rulers

The question asks about the specific Mauryan ruler who was involved in the conflict known as the Seleucid–Mauryan War against Seleucus I Nicator.

Let's break down the key aspects:

• The Seleucid Empire was founded by Seleucus I Nicator, one of the Diadochi (successors) of Alexander the Great.
• The Mauryan Empire was a powerful empire in ancient India.
• The Seleucid–Mauryan War was a conflict that took place around 305–303 BCE.

Now let's consider the options provided and their historical context within the Mauryan dynasty:

• Dasharatha: He was a grandson of Ashoka and ruled much later than the period of the Seleucid–Mauryan War.
• Ashoka: He was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya and ruled in the 3rd century BCE, well after the war with Seleucus. While Ashoka had interactions with Hellenistic kingdoms, it was not a large-scale war with Seleucus I Nicator himself.
• Samprati: He was a grandson of Ashoka and also ruled much later than the war with Seleucus.
• Chandragupta Maurya: He was the founder of the Mauryan Empire and ruled from approximately 322 to 298 BCE. This timeframe aligns with the period of the Seleucid–Mauryan War.

Historical records indicate that Seleucus I Nicator expanded his empire eastward, coming into conflict with the rising Mauryan power under Chandragupta Maurya. The war ended with a treaty where Seleucus ceded significant territories in exchange for 500 war elephants from Chandragupta. A marriage alliance was also part of the agreement.

Therefore, the Mauryan ruler who fought against Seleucus I Nicator in the Seleucid–Mauryan War was Chandragupta Maurya.

Let's summarize the rulers and their approximate periods related to the war:

Based on the historical evidence, the conflict was between Seleucus I Nicator and Chandragupta Maurya.

Revision Table: Mauryan Rulers and the Seleucid Conflict

Additional Information: The Seleucid–Mauryan Peace Treaty

The treaty that concluded the Seleucid–Mauryan War was significant. Its terms included:

• Seleucus I Nicator ceded territories west of the Indus River to the Mauryan Empire. These areas likely included parts of modern-day Afghanistan and Balochistan.
• In return, Chandragupta Maurya gifted 500 war elephants to Seleucus, which were valuable military assets.
• A marriage alliance was formed, although the exact details are debated among historians (whether Seleucus gave his daughter to Chandragupta or vice versa, or if it was a broader dynastic exchange).
• Megasthenes, a Greek ambassador, was sent to Chandragupta's court in Pataliputra, providing valuable insights into the Mauryan Empire through his work 'Indica' (parts of which survive through later writers).

This treaty established peaceful relations between the two empires for generations and marked the expansion of Mauryan influence into northwestern territories previously held by Hellenistic rulers.