Step 1: Locate the individual who commissioned the Ashokan Pillars.The Lion Capital tops a pillar built by Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. Step 2: Establish the timeframe of Ashoka's rule.Emperor Ashoka the Great governed the Mauryan Empire from approximately 268 to 232 BCE, placing this within the 3rd Century BCE. Consequently, the pillar and its capital were created during this era.