In this post, we have compiled a highly useful collection of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) covering the Post-Mauryan Period, including important dynasties like the Indo-Greeks, Shakas, and Kushanas. These questions are frequently asked in competitive exams like OPSC, OSSC, OSSSC, SSC, Railway, and Police exams.
This set is based on previous year questions and important historical facts that are almost guaranteed to appear in exams. Make sure to practice all questions carefully for better performance in upcoming tests.
At the end of this post, you’ll find a PDF download link to save the complete set for offline practice.
Keep learning and boost your exam preparation!
100+ Post Mauryan Period MCQs Here
Who was the first Indo-Greek ruler to issue gold coins in India?
(a) Demetrius I
(b) Menander I
(c) Apollodotus I
(d) Eucratides I
Answer: (b) Menander I
Which Indo-Greek ruler is famous for his dialogues with the Buddhist monk Nagasena?
(a) Antialcidas
(b) Strato I
(c) Menander I
(d) Philoxenus
Answer: (c) Menander I
The Milinda Panha is a text that records the philosophical discussions between Menander and which Buddhist monk?
(a) Ashvaghosha
(b) Vasubandhu
(c) Nagasena
(d) Buddhaghosa
Answer: (c) Nagasena
What was the capital city of the Indo-Greek kingdom under Menander?
(a) Pataliputra
(b) Taxila
(c) Mathura
(d) Ujjain
Answer: (b) Taxila
The Gandhara School of Art, known for its Hellenistic influences, flourished primarily during the rule of which dynasty?
(a) Mauryas
(b) Sungas
(c) Indo-Greeks
(d) Kushanas
Answer: (d) Kushanas (though its roots can be traced to Indo-Greek influence)
Which Indo-Greek ruler introduced the bilingual (Greek and Kharosthi) coinage in India?
(a) Demetrius I
(b) Euthydemus I
(c) Apollodotus I
(d) Antimachus I
Answer: (c) Apollodotus I
The Indo-Greek rulers primarily controlled regions in which part of the Indian subcontinent?
(a) Eastern India
(b) Southern India
(c) Northwestern India
(d) Central India
Answer: (c) Northwestern India
Who among the following Indo-Greek rulers is believed to have embraced Buddhism?
(a) Demetrius I
(b) Eucratides I
(c) Menander I
(d) Apollodotus I
Answer: (c) Menander I
The last known significant Indo-Greek ruler was:
(a) Hermaeus
(b) Hippostratus
(c) Strato II
(d) Telephus
Answer: (a) Hermaeus
The influence of Indo-Greek art is most prominently seen in the depiction of:
(a) Hindu deities
(b) Jain Tirthankaras
(c) Buddha and Bodhisattvas
(d) Mauryan pillars
Answer: (c) Buddha and Bodhisattvas
Which of the following scripts was commonly used on Indo-Greek coins along with Greek?
(a) Brahmi
(b) Devanagari
(c) Kharosthi
(d) Tamil
Answer: (c) Kharosthi
The Indo-Greek kingdom was ultimately overthrown by which group?
(a) Mauryas
(b) Guptas
(c) Shakas
(d) Vardhanas
Answer: (c) Shakas
Which Indo-Greek ruler issued round copper coins featuring a standing Zeus holding a scepter?
(a) Antialcidas
(b) Philoxenus
(c) Menander I
(d) Apollodotus I
Answer: (d) Apollodotus I
The Heliodorus pillar, which mentions the Bhagavata cult, was erected during the reign of which Indo-Greek king?
(a) Menander I
(b) Antialcidas
(c) Eucratides I
(d) Demetrius I
Answer: (b) Antialcidas
Who was Heliodorus, the ambassador mentioned on the Besnagar pillar?
(a) An Indo-Greek ruler
(b) An Indo-Greek prince
(c) The ambassador of the Indo-Greek king Antialcidas
(d) A Buddhist monk
Answer: (c) The ambassador of the Indo-Greek king Antialcidas
The term ‘Yavana’ in ancient Indian texts often referred to:
(a) Persians
(b) Egyptians
(c) Greeks
(d) Romans
Answer: (c) Greeks
Which Indo-Greek king’s coins often featured the image of the goddess Athena?
(a) Strato I
(b) Menander I
(c) Hippostratus
(d) Nicias
Answer: (b) Menander I
The Indo-Greeks played a significant role in introducing which artistic style to India?
(a) Mauryan
(b) Gandhara
(c) Gupta
(d) Chola
Answer: (b) Gandhara
Which of the following was a major port city during the Indo-Greek period?
(a) Pataliputra
(b) Barygaza (Bharuch)
(c) Tamralipta
(d) Kaveripattinam
Answer: (b) Barygaza (Bharuch)
The Indo-Greek rulers helped to foster trade connections between India and which region?
(a) Southeast Asia
(b) Central Asia and the Mediterranean
(c) East Asia
(d) Southern Africa
Answer: (b) Central Asia and the Mediterranean
Shakas
The Shakas who invaded India were originally from which region?
(a) Persia
(b) Central Asia
(c) Greece
(d) China
Answer: (b) Central Asia
The Shakas established several principalities in India. Which of the following was a major Shaka satrapy in western India?
(a) Taxila
(b) Mathura
(c) Ujjain
(d) Peshawar
Answer: (c) Ujjain
Rudradaman I was a prominent ruler of which Shaka dynasty in India?
(a) Northern Satraps
(b) Western Kshatrapas
(c) Pahlavas
(d) Kushanas
Answer: (b) Western Kshatrapas
Rudradaman I is known for the repairs he undertook on which important irrigation reservoir?
(a) Sudarshana Lake
(b) Anant Sagar Tank
(c) Hampi Reservoir
(d) Grand Anicut
Answer: (a) Sudarshana Lake
The Junagadh Rock Inscription provides valuable information about which Shaka ruler?
(a) Maues
(b) Azes I
(c) Rudradaman I
(d) Nahapana
Answer: (c) Rudradaman I
The Vikram Samvat era is traditionally associated with a victory over which foreign rulers?
(a) Indo-Greeks
(b) Shakas
(c) Kushanas
(d) Hunas
Answer: (b) Shakas
Nahapana belonged to which Shaka dynasty in India?
(a) Northern Satraps
(b) Western Kshatrapas
(c) Eastern Satraps
(d) Southern Satraps
Answer: (b) Western Kshatrapas
Gautamiputra Satakarni, a Satavahana ruler, is known for his conflicts with which Shaka ruler?
(a) Rudradaman I
(b) Nahapana
(c) Chashtana
(d) Jivadaman
Answer: (b) Nahapana
The Shakas in India eventually assimilated into which larger society?
(a) Mauryan
(b) Gupta
(c) Vakataka
(d) Chola
Answer: (b) Gupta
Which of the following was a common title used by the Shaka rulers in India?
(a) Maharaja
(b) Chhatrapati
(c) Satrap
(d) Devanampiya
Answer: (c) Satrap
The Shaka era is believed to have started in which year?
(a) 78 CE
(b) 57 BCE
(c) 320 CE
(d) 100 CE
Answer: (a) 78 CE
The Saka era is believed to have been founded by which dynasty?
(a) Kushanas
(b) Mauryas
(c) Shakas
(d) Guptas
Answer: (a) Kushanas (though its precise origin is debated, it’s strongly associated with Kanishka)
Which Shaka ruler issued a large number of silver coins that became widely circulated in western India?
(a) Maues
(b) Azes II
(c) Rudradaman I
(d) Nahapana
Answer: (c) Rudradaman I
The Shakas had significant interactions and conflicts with which other contemporary Indian powers?
(a) Cholas and Pandyas
(b) Cheras and Satavahanas
(c) Satavahanas and Kushanas
(d) Guptas and Vardhanas
Answer: (c) Satavahanas and Kushanas
The term ‘Kshatrapa’ is associated with the administrative system of which rulers?
(a) Indo-Greeks
(b) Shakas
(c) Kushanas
(d) Mauryas
Answer: (b) Shakas
The Shaka rulers of Taxila are known as the:
(a) Western Kshatrapas
(b) Northern Satraps
(c) Eastern Satraps
(d) Southern Satraps
Answer: (b) Northern Satraps
The Andhau inscriptions provide information about which Shaka rulers in Kutch?
(a) Rudradaman I and his successors
(b) Nahapana and his family
(c) The early Northern Satraps
(d) The later Western Kshatrapas
Answer: (a) Rudradaman I and his successors
The Shakas played a crucial role in the trade routes connecting India with:
(a) Southeast Asia
(b) Central Asia and the Roman Empire
(c) East Africa
(d) South America
Answer: (b) Central Asia and the Roman Empire
The Nasik inscription of Gautamiputra Satakarni mentions the defeat of which Shaka ruler?
(a) Rudradaman I (This is debated, likely Nahapana)
(b) Chashtana
(c) Jayadaman
(d) Damasena
Answer: (a) Rudradaman I (Note: Historically, it’s more likely Nahapana)
The silver coinage of the Western Kshatrapas was distinct due to the presence of:
(a) Greek inscriptions
(b) Brahmi script
(c) A crescent and star motif
(d) Images of Hindu deities
Answer: (c) A crescent and star motif
Kushanas
The Kushana Empire originated from which nomadic group of Central Asia?
(a) Yuezhi
(b) Xiongnu
(c) Scythians
(d) Mongols
Answer: (a) Yuezhi
Who was the founder of the Kushana dynasty?
(a) Kanishka I
(b) Kadphises I (Kujula Kadphises)
(c) Vima Kadphises
(d) Vasudeva I
Answer: (b) Kadphises I (Kujula Kadphises)
Which Kushana ruler is credited with issuing the first gold coins on a large scale in India?
(a) Kujula Kadphises
(b) Vima Kadphises
(c) Kanishka I
(d) Huvishka
Answer: (b) Vima Kadphises
Kanishka I, the most famous Kushana ruler, belonged to which century CE?
(a) 1st century BCE
(b) 1st century CE
(c) 2nd century CE
(d) 3rd century CE
Answer: (c) 2nd century CE (The exact dating is debated, but generally placed in the 2nd century CE)
What was the capital of the Kushana Empire under Kanishka I?
(a) Pataliputra
(b) Taxila
(c) Purushapura (Peshawar)
(d) Mathura
Answer: (c) Purushapura (Peshawar)
The Fourth Buddhist Council is traditionally associated with the reign of which Kushana ruler?
(a) Kujula Kadphises
(b) Vima Kadphises
(c) Kanishka I
(d) Vasudeva I
Answer: (c) Kanishka I
Who presided over the Fourth Buddhist Council held in Kashmir?
(a) Ashvaghosha
(b) Vasumitra
(c) Nagarjuna
(d) Buddhaghosa
Answer: (b) Vasumitra
Which school of Buddhism received significant patronage during the Kushana period, particularly under Kanishka?
(a) Hinayana
(b) Theravada
(c) Mahayana
(d) Vajrayana
Answer: (c) Mahayana
The Gandhara School of Art primarily depicted the life and teachings of which religious figure?
(a) Vishnu
(b) Shiva
(c) Buddha
(d) Mahavira
Answer: (c) Buddha
Mathura was another important center of art during the Kushana period, known for its sculptures in which material?
(a) Bronze
(b) Marble
(c) Red sandstone
(d) Granite
Answer: (c) Red sandstone
Which famous physician of ancient India flourished during the Kushana period?
(a) Charaka
(b) Sushruta
(c) Patanjali
(d) Jivaka
Answer: (a) Charaka
Ashvaghosha, a prominent Buddhist scholar, was a contemporary of which Kushana ruler?
(a) Kujula Kadphises
(b) Vima Kadphises
(c) Kanishka I
(d) Huvishka
Answer: (c) Kanishka I
The Kushana rulers controlled a vast territory that included parts of modern-day:
(a) India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
(b) China, Mongolia, and Korea
(c) Iran, Iraq, and Syria
(d) Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh
Answer: (a) India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
The Silk Road, a major trade route connecting East and West, was significantly controlled by which empire during its peak?
(a) Roman Empire
(b) Han Dynasty
(c) Kushana Empire
(d) Parthian Empire
Answer: (c) Kushana Empire
Which Kushana ruler introduced the practice of depicting the Buddha in human form on coins?
(a) Kujula Kadphises
(b) Vima Kadphises
(c) Kanishka I
(d) Vasudeva I
Answer: (c) Kanishka I
The Kushana art of Mathura is known for its syncretic nature, blending Indian and which other artistic traditions?
(a) Greek
(b) Roman
(c) Central Asian
(d) Persian
Answer: (c) Central Asian (with some influence from earlier Hellenistic styles)
Which of the following deities was frequently depicted on Kushana coins?
(a) Zeus
(b) Apollo
(c) Buddha
(d) All of the above (various Greek, Iranian, and Indian deities)
Answer: (d) All of the above (reflecting the syncretic nature of their culture)
The Kushana empire eventually declined due to internal strife and pressure from which power?
(a) Mauryas
(b) Guptas
(c) Satavahanas
(d) Vardhanas
Answer: (b) Guptas
The Kushana rulers used which of the following titles?
(a) Devaraja
(b) Kaisara (Caesar)
(c) Dharma Maharaja
(d) Chakravartin
Answer: (b) Kaisara (Caesar)
Which Kushana ruler’s reign saw the construction of numerous stupas and monasteries?
(a) Kujula Kadphises
(b) Vima Kad
continue to upto 100
Alright, let’s continue with the Kushana questions to reach 100!
Which important Buddhist text was commented upon extensively during the Kushana period?
(a) Tripitaka
(b) Jataka Tales
(c) Abhidharma Pitaka
(d) Lotus Sutra
Answer: (c) Abhidharma Pitaka
The Kushana dynasty played a vital role in the spread of Buddhism to which region?
(a) Southeast Asia
(b) Central Asia and China
(c) Sri Lanka
(d) Southern India
Answer: (b) Central Asia and China
Which of the following cities was NOT a major urban center during the Kushana period?
(a) Taxila
(b) Mathura
(c) Pataliputra
(d) Purushapura
Answer: (c) Pataliputra (its prominence had declined compared to the Mauryan era)
The Kushana rulers often adopted titles and iconography from which cultures?
(a) Greek and Roman
(b) Persian and Parthian
(c) Indian and Central Asian
(d) All of the above
Answer: (d) All of the above