The Didarganj Yakshi statue, a polished sandstone sculpture from the Mauryan period, is one of the most prized possessions of the Patna Museum.

Patna (ancient Pataliputra) was the capital of the Nanda Empire, which ruled the Magadha region before the Mauryas.

King Bimbisara of Magadha was a contemporary and patron of both Gautama Buddha and Mahavira, the Jain Tirthankar.

Bihar's prosperity during the Mauryan period was built on abundant iron ore deposits, fertile agricultural land for crops like rice and wheat, and their trade across India.

The Gajapati Kingdom had military and political interactions with Bihar-based kingdoms, involving both alliances and territorial conflicts during the medieval period.

Magadha's significance lay in its fertile Gangetic plains and strategic location, which made it a political and economic powerhouse in ancient India.

Chandragupta Maurya, with the help of Chanakya, defeated the Nanda Dynasty around 322 BCE and established the Mauryan Empire with Pataliputra as its capital.

Kumaragupta I (415-455 CE) was a major patron of Nalanda University and greatly expanded its facilities and reputation during the Gupta period.

Alauddin Hussain Shah (1493-1519) of the Bengal Sultanate expanded his territory significantly and had control over parts of Bihar during his reign.

Chanakya served as the chief minister and strategist in the Magadhan kingdom under Chandragupta Maurya, helping establish the Mauryan Empire.