Non-Fiction
6 Best Non-Fiction Books About ancient India
Histories, biographies and reference works are listed separately from the historical novels above.
Period
Ancient India
c. 2600 BCE–550 CE
Ancient India covers the civilisations and states of South Asia from the Indus Valley cities through Vedic societies, the rise of kingdoms and republics, and the Maurya and Gupta empires. It includes major changes in agriculture, urban life, trade, political authority and literature.
Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions developed through long and varied processes rather than a single foundation. Contacts with Achaemenid Persia, the Hellenistic world, Central Asia and Indian Ocean commerce also shaped regional states and cultures.
This context is a broad parent for books on early South Asian history. More focused works on the Maurya Empire or particular religious and political movements should use a specific child where available.
