How did Chandragupta conquer Magadha?
A.
by sending in his spies to open the city gates to his soldiers
B.
by attacking their borders and slowly weakening the outer reaches of the city first
C.
by uniting with the Greeks, combining their forces, and attacking from two directions
B. by attacking their borders and slowly weakening the outer reaches of the city first
The correct answer is B. by attacking their borders and slowly weakening the outer reaches of the city first.
To find out how Chandragupta conquered Magadha, we can look at historical accounts and research. Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya Empire, conquered Magadha around 321 BCE.
One of the main sources of information on Chandragupta's conquest is the ancient Greek historian Megasthenes. Megasthenes wrote that Chandragupta made alliances with various regional powers and then gradually expanded his control over the surrounding territories. However, this source does not mention the specific details of how the actual conquest of Magadha took place.
Other sources and theories suggest that Chandragupta may have used a combination of military strategies to conquer Magadha. Option A, sending spies to open the city gates to his soldiers, might not have been the sole method employed, as historical records do not mention it specifically.
Option B, attacking the borders and weakening the outer reaches of the city first, is a plausible strategy that was used in many military campaigns. This approach allows an invading force to slowly dismantle the defenses by gradually gaining control over the surrounding territories and cutting off the city's resources and reinforcements.
Option C, uniting with the Greeks and attacking from two directions, is less likely as there is little historical evidence of a Greek-Chandragupta alliance during the time of the Magadha conquest.
In conclusion, while the exact methods Chandragupta used to conquer Magadha may not be fully known, a combination of military strategies, such as gradually weakening the city's defenses through border attacks, is more probable based on historical accounts and research.