Ancient Indian History MCQs

Notes:
Aditya I who ruled from c.871 to 907 CE was the successor of Vijayalaya. He achieved significant military successes and expanded the Chola kingdom. He also entered into a matrimonial alliance by marrying a Pallava princess.

Notes:
Rajadhiraja Chola died on the battlefield while fighting in the battle of Koppam against Someshwar, a western Chalukyan king. Later on the king Rajendra II Defeated Someshwar and planted a Jaystambha at Kolhapur.

Notes:
The narrative texts of the Sangam literature are called Melkannakku. These are 18 major works consisting of eight anthologies and ten idylls. They are considered the works of heroic poetry in which heroes are glorified and perpetual wars and cattle raids during that time are frequently mentioned.

Notes:
The Chola capital was Uraiyur (Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu). It was a grand city with magnificent buildings. Kaveripattinam or Puhar was the main Chola port during the Sangam period.

Notes:
Lothal is located between the Sabarmati river and its tributary Bhogavo, in the Saurasthra region of Gujarat. Its dockyard was well connected with the river Bhogavo.

Notes:
Kalidas was a Classical Sanskrit author who is often considered ancient India’s greatest poet and playwright. His plays and poetry are primarily based on the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. Kalidas was one of the “nine gems” at the court of a king named Vikramaditya, generally identified with the great Gupta ruler, Chandragupta II.

Notes:
Dhananand (also known as the Agrammes, Xandrammes, according to the Greek travellers and writers) was the last ruler of the Nanda dynasty according to Mahabodhivamsa. In 314 B.C. Chandragupta Maurya attacked Magadh kingdom and defeated the Nandas.

Notes:
The Indus Valley Civilization, marked by its remarkable level of urbanization despite being a Bronze Age culture, is noted for its cities built of brick, roadside drainage system, and multistoried houses. Houses were one or two stories high, made of baked brick, with flat roofs, and were just about identical. Each was built around a courtyard, with windows overlooking the courtyard. The outside walls had no windows. Each home had its own private drinking well and its own private bathroom.

Notes:
The corpus of Major Rock Edicts and Pillar Edicts provide details of what Asoka meant by dhamma. Those who observe the precepts of dhamma are said to be people of few faults, many good deeds, mercy, charity, truth and purity. Asoka mentions the behaviour required of those who observe the dhamma. This consists of obedience to parents, elders and teachers; concern for friends and relatives; gifts to brahmins and Sramanas; abstention from killing; good treatment towards slaves, servants and the poor; and moderation in attachment to possessions.

Notes:
The earliest pottery culture found in North India is Ochre Coloured Pottery dated between 3500 BCE – 2000 BCE during late Harappan period in UP and Rajasthan, followed by Black-and-Red Ware between 2000 BCE – 700 BCE prominent across the Ganga plains. Next is Painted Grey Ware between 1200 BCE – 350 BCE found in the Iron age followed by Northern Black Polished Ware between 700 BCE – 100 BCE widely spread by the Nanda and Mauryan empire.