By the end of the 3rd century BC, most of northern India was unified under Chandragupta Maurya in India's first great empire: the Mauryan Empire. Magadha became the center of the Mauryan Empire. This was a key in the development and growth of the empire in terms of its beneficial location. Magadha was situated on the central Ganges River near rich soil and mineral deposits. It became the center of trade and commerce of the Mauryan Empire and filled with palaces, gardens, universities, and temples. It is believed that Chandragupta's military success is due to the council of his advisor, Kautilya, author of the Arthashastra (Science of Material Gain), a guide that outlined governmental administration and political strategy; often paralleled to Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince. Chandragupta was able to quell the extensive conquest of Alexander the Great through his military prowess, and thus he was not only able...