Ancient Indian History MCQs

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The earliest Satavahana inscriptions belong to the 1st century BCE. In the 1st century BCE the Satavahana defeated the Kanvas and established their rule over parts of central India.

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According to Chinese sources, the Kushanas were also called Guishuang. The Kushanas were one of five branches of the Yuezhi tribe that lived in Central Asia or along the Chinese border. The Kushanas eventually became more powerful than the other Yuezhi tribes. In the 1st century CE, Kujula Kadphises brought the five tribes together and founded the Kushan Empire. The Kushanas moved east towards India, defeating the Parthians and the Sakas. The Kushanas were also known as Tocharians.

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Samudragupta ruled from c.335/336–375 CE. He was the son of Chandragupta I. He was delighted in the policy of war and conquest and enormously enlarged his kingdom. He had a disputed accession to the throne of the Gupta empire.

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The numerical strength of the Gupta army is not known, but it is accepted that the emperor had a large standing army. The person responsible for the administration of the people as well as the army was called the Mahabaladhikrita?.

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Gopala laid the foundation of Pala dynasty around 8th century CE. ‘Pala’ in the ancient Prakrit language means the “protector”. As the names of all the succeeding kings ended with ‘Pala’, the dynasty came to be known as the ‘Pala’ dynasty.

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The Gahadavala dynasty ruled the Indian subcontinent during the 11th and 12th centuries. Present-day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar came under their rule. They establish themselves on the throne of Kanauj between 1080A.D. and 1085 AD.

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The Pratiharas figured prominently in Jain literature. Vatsaraja or Vatsraja was grand-nephew of Nagabhata I. He is said to have built many Jain temples at Kanauj, Mathura, Anahilvada, Modhera, etc. Vatsraja also built a temple at Kambay and consecrated a golden image of Mahavira.

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The most important author medieval age was Aryabhata II who wrote the Aryasiddhanta. Other impotant writers of the tenth century include Prithusvami, Bhattotpala and Vijavanandi. Kalyanavarman wrote Sarasvali.

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Virarajendra Chola ruled the Chola empire from 1063 A.D. to 1067 A.D. During the reign of the Chola king, Rajadhiraja Chola, Virarajendra was posted as the Chola viceroy of Sri Lanka .

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Velvikkudi Grant which is a later copper-plate inscription Provides us information about Maravarman Avanisulamani. The grant praises the Pandya, claiming that he removed the common ownership of the Earth and married the goddess of the flower.