c. 26th century BCE – c. 19th century BCE
Planned cities such as Mohenjo-daro and Harappa flourish along the Indus, with drainage systems, standardised weights and an undeciphered script.
Approximate date.
The hymns of the Rigveda, the oldest text of Hinduism, are composed in Vedic Sanskrit and transmitted orally for generations.
Siddhartha Gautama attains enlightenment at Bodh Gaya and teaches in the Ganges plain, founding Buddhism.
Chandragupta Maurya overthrows the Nanda dynasty of Magadha, founding the first empire to unite most of the Indian subcontinent.
Emperor Ashoka conquers Kalinga; the war's devastation leads him to embrace Buddhism.
Emperor Ashoka has edicts inscribed on rocks and pillars across his empire, promoting Buddhist ethics and tolerance.
According to tradition, the monk Mahinda, son of Ashoka, brings Buddhism to Anuradhapura and converts King Devanampiya Tissa.