Ancient Indian History MCQs

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According to Megasthenes, the class officials who collected land tax during the Mauryan period were known as Agranomoi. In case there was a land dispute where neither side was able to prove its claim, the property went to the king.

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The period between 165 BCE – 145 BCE is associated with the rule of  Menander /Milinda/Minedra. The empire of Menander extended over parts of both Bactria and northwestern India.

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Kanishka had two capitals, Purushapura and Mathura. In the capital city of Purushpura, he built a giant stupa to house the Buddha’s relics. The building was magnificent as described by the Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien who visited the area later in the early fifth century CE.

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The administration during the Gupta empire was less elaborate as compared to that of the Mauryas. The most important officers under the Guptas administration were called as Kumaramatyas. The office of Kumaramatyas was called as adhikarana.

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The Gupta empire was divided into provinces known as deshas, Rashtra, or Bhuktis. The head of these provinces were referred to as Uparika. The Uparika was appointed directly by the king himself.

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In eastern India, the vishayas were divided into vithis during the Gupta period. These Vithis were further divided into villages. The village headman was called Gramadhyaksha or Gramika who looked after the affairs of the village with the help of village elders.

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The Chinese traveler Fa-Hien mentions in his memoirs that the chandalas lived outside the village and had to maintain distance from the upper castes. The chandalas were told to strike a piece of wood to announce their arrival when they entered towns or market places so that the others might not touch them and get polluted.

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Nivi dharma aksayana was a land tenure system which refers to a perpetual endowment which a recipient could not alienate but could make use of the income accruing from it eternally.

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The Buddha images found in Mathura were different from Sarnath in several ways. The dated stone image of a seated Tirthankara belonging to 432 CE which was excavated at Mathura was also different from the seated figurines of preceding centuries.

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Mahendrapala I was the successor of king Bhoja I / Mihir Bhoja. The Pratihara empire reached its peak of prosperity and power under Mihir Bhoja. The extent of its territory was almost similar to that of the Guptas.