The Mauryan Empire was established by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, making it the 4th century BCE. This marked the beginning of one of India's greatest empires with Pataliputra as its capital.

Madhubani district in Northern Bihar is world-renowned for its traditional Madhubani paintings. These intricate paintings have been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Ashoka Pillar at Pataliputra contains the Pillar Edict I, which emphasizes moral and ethical governance. Multiple Ashoka Pillars exist in Bihar, each containing different edicts related to his administration and Buddhist philosophy.

Bihar's present boundaries were formed in 2000 when Jharkhand was separated from Bihar. Before 2000, Bihar included the present-day Jharkhand region as well.

The Rajendra Setu, also known as the Second Hooghly Bridge, connects Bihar (specifically Katihar region) across the Mahananda River. Major bridges like the Ganges bridges connect Bihar with Uttar Pradesh across the Ganges River.

The Tripitaka (Three Baskets), the foundational Buddhist scriptures comprising Vinaya, Sutra, and Abhidharma, were studied, preserved, and copied at Nalanda University, making it the center of Buddhist learning.

According to the accounts of Greek envoy Megasthenes and other ancient texts, the walls of Pataliputra had 64 gates. The city was also surrounded by a ditch and had multiple towers for defense and administrative purposes.

During the Mughal Empire, most of Bihar was part of the Subah Bengal, one of the richest provinces of the empire. This administrative division remained largely intact through much of the Mughal rule.