The Age of Reorganisation — Quiz

Q1. The assassination of the last Maurya emperor by Pushyamitra Shunga led directly to

• A. The merger of the Maurya empire with the Shaka kingdom
• B. The continuation of Maurya rule under a new dynasty in Pataliputra
• C. The signing of a treaty between Mauryas and Indo-Greeks
• D. A breakup of the Maurya empire and emergence of many new kingdoms

Q2. Why did the northwest region of the Subcontinent become vulnerable to foreign invasions after the fall of the Mauryas?

• A. The Shungas withdrew their armies to Madhya Pradesh
• B. The Satavahanas blocked all northern trade routes
• C. Ashoka's edicts had banned warfare in the northwest
• D. The northwest region became weak, exposing it to invasions from outside the Subcontinent

Q3. Priya reads that the Yoga Sutras were compiled during the Shunga period. The compiler was

• A. Megasthenes
• B. Kharavela
• C. Heliodorus
• D. Patanjali

Q4. The Hathigumpha inscription describes Kharavela as 'respector of every sect and repairer of every temple'. This BEST illustrates

• A. A fundamental part of what the chapter calls the 'Indian ethos' — a ruler extending protection to all schools of thought
• B. Kharavela's preference for Vedic rituals over Jain teachings
• C. The Chedi practice of taxing all religious sects equally
• D. The Mauryan tradition of installing Ashokan pillars in each region

Q5. The two most famous capital cities of the Satavahanas at different times were

• A. Madurai and Vanji
• B. Bhubaneswar and Puhar
• C. Vidisha and Mathura
• D. Amravati and Pratishthana (Paithan)

Q6. Many Satavahana coins depict ships with two masts. What does this BEST suggest about the Satavahana kingdom?

• A. Maritime trade was an important part of the kingdom's economic life
• B. The Satavahanas built the first Indian navy
• C. The Satavahanas were defeated in a sea battle by the Romans
• D. Ships were a religious symbol of the dynasty's Vedic worship

Q7. Although the Satavahanas were devout followers of Vasudeva-Krishna, they granted tax-free agricultural land to Vedic scholars, Jaina and Buddhist monks. This shows that

• A. Only royal scholars received land grants
• B. Satavahanas had abandoned Vasudeva worship
• C. Other schools of thought also flourished and were patronised during their rule
• D. Buddhist monks paid taxes through their monasteries

Q8. The Naneghat caves near Pune, located close to a major trade route, were used by the Satavahanas for

• A. Holding royal weddings and matrimonial alliances
• B. Storing coins minted in the Roman empire
• C. Conducting the ashvamedha yajna
• D. Collection of tolls and taxes, and as resting places for traders

Q9. The word 'Sangam' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'sangha', which translates to

• A. Association and coming together — an assembly of poets
• B. Kingdom and ruler
• C. Coin and currency
• D. River and harbour

Q10. Why is the area irrigated by Karikala's Kallanai called the 'rice bowl of the South'?

• A. The Cholas exported rice to Rome from this region
• B. Karikala built rice godowns near Srirangam island
• C. The Kallanai diverted Kaveri water for cultivation, bringing more land under rice farming
• D. The Pandyas paid annual rice tribute from this region

Q11. The Cheras, also called Keralaputra, ruled over western Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Their capital was at

• A. Puhar (Kaveripattinam)
• B. Pratishthana (Paithan)
• C. Madurai
• D. Vanji, present-day Karur in Tamil Nadu

Q12. Which Greek ambassador mentions the Pandya kingdom in his work 'Indika' as a prosperous one with a strong administration?

• A. Megasthenes
• B. Heliodorus
• C. Kanishka
• D. Patanjali

Q13. How did the 'Indo-Greeks' originally emerge as rulers in the northwest of the Subcontinent?

• A. They were invited by Ashoka to administer the northwest provinces
• B. They came as Buddhist missionaries from Greece during the Shunga period
• C. While retreating from areas he conquered, Alexander left satraps who, over time, established independent domains
• D. They were appointed by Kanishka to guard the Silk Route

Q14. The famous 'headless' statue of King Kanishka carries a Brahmi inscription. The titles in that inscription are

• A. Bhikshu-raja, Maharaja
• B. Keralaputra, Devanampriya
• C. Chakravartin, Samrat
• D. Maharaja, Rajadhiraja, Devaputra

Q15. Why did trade grow significantly during the Kushana reign, connecting India with other parts of Asia and the West?

• A. The Kushanas held control over significant sections of the Silk Route
• B. The Kushanas built the Grand Trunk Road from Pataliputra to Rome
• C. The Kushanas issued the first paper currency in India
• D. The Kushanas signed a trade treaty with the Cholas