Mencius · Ashoka Were Mencius and Ashoka alive at the same time? Yes. Mencius and Ashoka were alive at the same time, from 304 BC to c. 289 BC. MenciusChinese Confucian philosopherBorn c. 372 BC · died c. 289 BCAshokaMauryan emperor from 268 to 232 BCEBorn 304 BC · died 232 BC AristotleChanakyaMenciusAlexander the GreatEpicurusAshokaArchimedesQin Shi HuangHannibal Mencius and Ashoka in bold, with some of their best-known contemporaries. Drag across to see the age each reached in any year. Faded ends mark uncertain dates.