Quiz on Indian History

Multiple Choice G.K. Questions - Ancient Indian History

1. The Mathura school of art flourished during the reign of

  1. Kanishka
  2. Kadphises-1
  3. Vasudeva
  4. Kushanas

2. Which one of the following travelers visited India during the Gupta period?

  1. Hiuen-Tsang
  2. Fa- Hien
  3. Marco Polo
  4. Nicolo Conti

3. Hathigumpha inscription is attributed to which of the following emperors?

  1. Ashoka
  2. Chandragupta II
  3. Samudragupta
  4. Kharavela

4. The illustrious names of Aryabhatta and Varahamihir are associated with the age of the

  1. Guptas
  2. Kushanas
  3. Mauryas
  4. Palas


5. Gupta empire declined in the fifth century A. D. as a consequence of

  1. Chalukya raids
  2. Greek invasion
  3. Hun invasion
  4. Pallava raids

6. During whose reign did the Gandhara School of art blossom?

  1. Harsha
  2. Ashok
  3. Kanishka
  4. Chandragupta 2

7. The capital of Kosala kingdom was -

  1. Ujjain
  2. Kasi
  3. Kausambi
  4. Ayodhya

8. Bimbisara belonged to which of the following dynasties?

  1. Mauryan
  2. Haryanka
  3. Nanda
  4. Kushan

9. Who among the following foreigners was the first to visit India?

  1. Hiuen-Tsang
  2. Megasthenese
  3. I Ching
  4. Fahien

10. The Ajanta painting belongs to the

  1. Harappan period
  2. Mauryan period
  3. Buddhist period
  4. Gupta period

11. Which one of the following schools of sculpture thrived during the post-Ashokan period?

  1. Gandhara
  2. Sarnath
  3. Mathura
  4. All of the above

12. The Saka Era commenced in

  1. 50 BC
  2. 28 AD
  3. 78 AD
  4. 129 AD

13. Who of the following was a contemporary of Alexander the Great?

  1. Bimbisara
  2. Chandragupta Maurya
  3. Ashoka
  4. Pushyamitra Sunga


14. Whose achievements are recorded in the Allahabad Pillar inscription?

  1. Chandragupta Maurya
  2. Samudra Gupta
  3. Vikramaditya
  4. Skand Gupta

15. Which one of the following was an important port of the eastern coast during Gupta period?

  1. Kalyan
  2. Tamralipti
  3. Sopara
  4. Baroch



16. The temple of Konark was built by Narasimha of the

  1. Maratha Administration
  2. Chola Administration
  3. Ganga Administration
  4. Vijayanagar Administration

17. Alexander, the Great invaded India during the rule of -

  1. Ajatshatru
  2. Bimbisara
  3. Dhana Nanda
  4. Mahapadma Nanda


18. Alexander defeated Porus in 326 B. C. at the battle of :

  1. Thaneshwar
  2. Tarain
  3. Peshawar
  4. Hydaspes

19. Which among the following is the oldest dynasty?

  1. Maurya
  2. Gupta
  3. Kushan
  4. Kanva

20. Which rulers built the Ellora temples?

  1. Chalukya
  2. Sunga
  3. Rashtrakuta
  4. Pallava

21. Who started the Saka Era which is still used by the Government of India?

  1. Kanishka
  2. Vikramaditya
  3. Samudra Gupta
  4. Asoka

22. The great silk-route to the Indians was opened by -

  1. Kanishka
  2. Ashoka
  3. Harsha
  4. Fa-Hien

23. Aryabhatta, believed to have been born in the 5th century AD, was a most renowned scholar of

  1. Astronomy
  2. Biology
  3. Medicine
  4. Physiology

24. The Iron Pillar at Mehrauli in Delhi is believed to record the achievements of

  1. Ashoka
  2. Chandragupta Maurya
  3. Samudragupta
  4. Chandragupta 2

25. The capital of Kalinga was

  1. Taxila
  2. Suvarnagiri
  3. Ujjain
  4. Toshali