ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Kandahar Greek Edicts of Ashoka

Okay kiddo, do you remember hearing about a king named Ashoka who ruled over India a long time ago? Well, he was a very important king because he had a big change of heart and decided to be kind and fair to everyone, instead of being mean and selfish like some kings before him.

One day, Ashoka sent his friend and advisor, a guy named Megasthenes, to a place called Kandahar in what is now Afghanistan. While Megasthenes was there, he found some stone inscriptions that had been written by some Greek people who had lived in that area before.

These inscriptions are called the Kandahar Greek Edicts of Ashoka, and they are very special because they show that Ashoka's kindness and fair rule didn't just affect the people of India, but also the people who lived far away in other places.

Now, you might be wondering what an inscription is. Well, think of it like writing on a rock or a piece of metal. People used to write important messages on these rocks and metal pieces, so that others could read them and know what was important to the person who wrote the message.

The Kandahar Greek Edicts of Ashoka are like that, but instead of writing random messages, they talk about how Ashoka wanted people to live in peace and follow moral values like being honest, kind, and respectful. And the fact that they were written in Greek is really cool because it shows how different cultures were coming together and sharing ideas during this time in history.

So, in short, the Kandahar Greek Edicts of Ashoka are messages that were found on rocks in Afghanistan that show how important it was for Ashoka to be a kind and fair ruler, not just in India, but in other places too!