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Pusyamitra, a Brahman, founded the Shunga dynasty around 185 BCE, succeeding the Mauryan dynasty. He assassinated the last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha, to seize power. While some accounts suggest he persecuted Buddhists, Buddhism continued to thrive during his reign. His rule likely extended over Pataliputra, Ayodhya, and Vidisha, and he engaged in military campaigns against the Indo-Greeks. After Pusyamitra's approximately 36-year reign, the Shunga dynasty continued for about another century, ending around 73 BCE. The Shunga script is a form of Brahmi script associated with this dynasty. The Mauryan empire, which preceded the Shunga dynasty, was the first to encompass most of the Indian subcontinent.123

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