The Great King Ashak Converted to Buddhism?

Nowhere in rock edict 13, or any other rock edict does it say that the king ashok converted to buddhism. The kalinga empire was one of the great engine cultural, economic, military, maritime, et cetera, engines that drove ancient india. Can you please explain about the policies of the calinga empire and the objectives of the rulers? And how did the ancient roman historian pliny mention this region of india as where and when there are there be no shadows,. Kalinga is now what we call orisies, on the eastern coast of india.