ANCIENT HISTORY MCQ

LIVE
ANINDYA PANDIT
1. During the reign of Chandragupta Maurya,
Pataliputra was administered by a board
consisting of members numbered.

a) 20
b) 30
c) 40
d) 50
Chandragupta Maurya set up a sound and
efficient system of administration in his vast
empire. There was a municipal committee of
30 members to look after the affairs of the city.
2. The Mauryan administrative centre Samapa
can be identified with

a) Girnar
b) Dhauli
c) Brahmagiri
d) Jaugada
Samapa, modern-day Jaugada in Odisha was
administrative centre of the Mauryan empire
after the Kalinga conquered by
Ashoka.
3. Which of the following Ashoka inscriptions is in
Kharoshthi script?

a) Lumbini
b) Girnar
c) Khalsi
d) Shahvazgarhi
The inscriptions of Ashoka are written in two
scripts known as Brahmi and Kharosthi. Kharosthi
script has been used in the inscriptions found at
Shahvazgarhi in Mordan District of Khyber -
Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan and
Manshera also in Pakistan.
4. Who was the son of Ashoka mentioned in an
inscription?

a) Mahendra
b) Kunala
c) Tivara
d) Jalauka
The Buddhist texts mention about the family of
Ashoka. His first wife was princess of Ujjaini
called Devi or Vedisa. His two other wives were
Karuvaki and Asandhimitra. Asoka’s
only son mentioned in inscriptions is Tivara, who
was born to Karuvaki. The
name of Karuvaki and Tivara are mentioned in
Queen’s edict.
5. Sarnath Stambh was built by

a) Harshwardhan
b) Ashoka
c) Bindusar
d) Kanishka
Ashoka built the Sarnath pillar to
commemorate the site of the first preaching of
Lord Buddha, where he taught the Dharma to
five monks.
6. Which one of the following inscriptions refers
to construction of two granaries to be
used in the time of distress?

a) Madhuban copper plate

b) Poona copper plate
c) Damodarpur copper plate
d) Sohagaura copper plate
The earliest known copper-plate, known as the
Sohagaura copper- plate, is a Maurya record that
mentions famine relief efforts. The Sohagaura
copper plate refers to a pair of Kosthagara
(granaries) to be used in the time
of distress.
7. Who of the Jain saints associated with
Chandragupta Maurya?

a) Umaswami
b) Sthulbhadra
c) Haribhadra
d) Bhadrabahu
Chandragupta Maurya adopted Jainism under
the Jain saint Bhadrabahu. He ended his life at
Sravanabelgola in present day
Karnataka.
8. Which was the currency in circulation during
the Maurya period?

a) Pana
b) Tola
c) Kakini
d) Dinar
In the Arthasashtra, the silver pana with its
sub-divisions is evidently recognized as the
standard coin, while the copper Mashaka
with its divisions ranks as a token currency.
9. The superintendent of weights and
measures in the Mauryan administration was

a) Samsthadhyaksha
b) Lavanadhyaksha
c) Shulkadhyaksha
d) Pautuvadhyaksha
Yuktas: Subordinate officers responsible for the king’s revenue.
Rajjukas: Officers in charge of land measurement and
boundary-fixing.
Sansthadhyasksha: Superintendent of mint
Samasthadhyasksha: Superintendent of markets
Sulkaadhyaksha: Superintendent of tolls
Sitaadhyaksha: Superintendent of agriculture
Navadhyaksha: Superintendent of ships
Lohadhyaksha: Superintendent of iron
Pauthavadhyakhsa: Superintendent of weights and measures
10. Name the famous ruler of ancient India who
adopted Jain Dharma in his last days.

a) Chandragupta Maurya
b) Ashoka
c) Samudragupta
d) Bindusara
According to Jain history, late in his life,
Chandragupta adopted Jainism, renounced the
empire he built and handed over his power to his
son, became a Jaina monk, and headed to
meditate and pursue spirituality in the Deccan
region, under the Jaina teacher Bhadrabahu at
Shravanabelagola.
11. The name by which Ashoka is generally
referred to in his inscription is

a) Chakravarti
b) Devraja
c) Dharmakirti
d) Priyadarsi
In the year 1915 near a village called Maski in
Raichur District of Karnataka, a rock inscription
was discovered on a hill. In this inscription, for the
first time, the name of Ashoka was found with
titles like Devanampriya and Priyadarshi.
12. Which one of the following texts of ancient
India allows divorce to a wife deserted by her
husband?

a) Kamasutra
b) Arthashastra
c) SukraNitisara
d) Mudrarakshasa
According to social law of ancient India, a
woman was always considered a minor. Divorce
was prohibited, although it sometimes took place.
According to Arthashastra, a wife who had been
deserted by her husband could seek a divorce.
13. Which of the following sources gives a
detailed account of city administration of the
Mauryas?

a) Kautilya’sarthashastra
b) Megasthene’s Indica
c) Mudrarakshasa of Vishakhadutta
d) Inscription of Ashoka
Indica was authored by Megasthenese who was
the ambassador of Selecus Nikator in
Cahndraqgupta Maurya’s court. It depicts
administration in Mauryan Empire, caste system
and absence of slavery in India.
14. Who was the first to have successfully read
the Ashoka’s inscriptions?

a) Charles Wilkins
b) Dayaramsahni
c) RakhaldasBanerji
d) James Princep
The inscriptions found in the central and
eastern part of India were written in Magadhi
Prakrit using the Brahmi script, These edicts were
deciphered by British archaeologist and historian
James Prinsep.
15. Which was the capital of Kanishka?

a) Mathura
b) Pataliputra
c) Purushpura
d) Gandhar
A descendant of Kujula Kadphises, founder of the
Kushan empire, Kanishka came to rule an empire
in Bactria extending to Pataliputra on the
Gangetic plain. The main capital of his empire
was located at Puruṣapura in Gandhara, with
another major capital at Kapisa.
16. Charaka was the famous court physician of

a) Kanishka
b) Pushyamitra
c) Chandragupta
d) Ashoka
Charak was the court physician of Kanishka . He
was one of the principal contributors to the
ancient art and science of Ayurveda, a system of
medicine and lifestyle developed in Ancient India.
He is sometimes referred to as the Father of
Indian Medicine.
17. Who was the founder of Kushan dynasty?

a) Vim Kadphises
b) Kujul Kadphises
c) Huvishka
d) Kanishka
Kujula Kadphises was the first Yueh Chi chief
who crossed the Hindukush Mountains and laid
down the foundation of the Kushana
Empire.
18. The official language of the Satvahanas was

a) Prakrit
b) Sanskrit
c) Apabhramsa
d) Telugu
Prakrit is a language of ancient and medieval
India which is the ancestor of Marathi, Konkani
and Maldivian.
19. Who of the following had issued gold coins
for the first time?

a) Kujula Kadphises
b) Vima Kadphises
c) Kanishka
d) Huvishka
Vima Kadphises was the Kushan emperor to
first introduce gold coinage, in addition to the
existing copper and silver coinage. The gold
weight standard of approximately 8 grams.
20. Who among the following is credited to
have performed four Asvamedha sacrifices?

a) Pushyamitra Sunga
b) Pravarasen I
c) Nandivarman
d) Samudragupta
The Vakataka emperor Pravarsena 1performed
four Asvamedha Sacrifices.Vakataka dynasty
was the most important after the fall of
Satvahanas and before the rise of Chalukyas
they ruled in modern Maharashtra and Madhya
Pradesh.
21. Who was the founder of Chedi dynasty?

a) Vindhya Shakti
b) Kharvela
c) Mahameghavahana
d) Mahapadam
The Chedis were the orginal inhabitants of
Maddhyadesa.Chedis are known from the
Hatigumpha Pillar Inscription.According to this
inscription, Mahameghavahana, a member of
the Chedi clan founded the Chedi dynasty.
Kaharvela was the famed king of Chedi
dynasty.
22. The writer of Mahabhasya ‘Patanjali’ was a
contemporary of

a) Chandragupta Maurya
b) Ashoka
c) Chandragupta II
d) Pushyamitra Sunga
The writer of Mahabhasya, Patanjali was
contemporary of Pushyamitra Sunga.The
Sunga Empire played an imperative role
patronizing Indian calture.
23. The figure of Buddha is engraved on the
coins of

a) Ashoka
b) Menander
c) Kanishka
d) Harsha
24. Who was the founder of Satavahana
dynasty?

a) Hall
b) Simuka
c) Satkarni
d) Shivasri
The founder of the Satavahana dynasty was
Simuka. He conquered Maharashtra, Malwa
and part of Madhya Pradesh.
25. Who was the last ruler of Sunga dynasty?

a) Agnimitra
b) Vasumitra
c) Brajamitra
d) Devabhuti
Devabhuti was the last Sunga ruler who was
killed by his own minister Vasudeva Kanva in
around 73 BC and founded the Kanva dynasty.
26. Who was Rudradaman I?

a) Saka ruler of Ujjain

b) Saka ruler of Takshashila
c) Saka ruler of Nasika
d) Saka ruler of Mathura
Rudradaman 1was a Saka ruler from the
Western Kshatrapas dynasty of Ujjain. He was
the grandson of the celebrated Sah king
Chastana.
27. Who was the writer of Nanaghata inscription?

a) Naganika
b) Nagakumari
c) Nagamati
d) Kubernaga
The Nanaghat inscriptions appear to suggest
that king Satakarni was the son of Simuka
Satavahana and the husband of queen
Naganika.
28. Who was the founder of Kanva dynasty?

a) Vasumitra
b) Bhumimitra
c) Vasudeva
d) Devabhuti
Vasudeva was the founder of the Kanva
dynasty. He was originally an Amatya (minister)
of last Shunga ruler Devabhuti. Vasudeva killed
the last Shunga ruler and established Kanva
dynasty.
29. Which of the following Saka rulers was
responsible for important irrigation works in
Saurashtra?

a) Nahapana
b) Menander
c) Rudradaman
d) None of this
The Saka ruler, Rudradraman was responsible
for important irrigation works in Saurashtra. His
military achievements, his territories and his
many personal qualities are highlighted in the
famous Junagadh inscription, written in 150 AD.
It is the first major inscription to be written in
sanskrit.
30. Gathasaptasati was written by

a) Hall
b) Bharatmuni
c) Bhas
d) Satkarni 1
Ghatasaptasti was written by the Satavahana
ruler Hall in Prakrit Language. The book
contains the description of love stories of th
king Hall. This book is an example of ancient
Muktak Kavya.