My personal favorite is Chandragupta Maurya and his wiley advisor Kautilya. Well, obviously Chandragupta's grandson Ashoka (also called Asoka, several spellings of his name) is up there in my list of truly fascinating charactors in history too. I hope to write an article of some sort on at least one of these Mauryan rulers, or just look forward to others posting their knowledge of them instead! we shall see..

(i wish there was more time in the day honestly!)