1. Which of the following was the capital of the Maurya Empire?
a) Patliputra
b) Kalinga
c) Magadha
d) Taxila
2. Who is considered the founder of Buddhism?
a) Mahavira
b) Ashoka
c) Siddhartha Gautama
d) Kautilya
3. Which ancient text is considered the oldest among the Vedas?
a) Samaveda
b) Yajurveda
c) Atharvaveda
d) Rigveda
4. Who wrote the ancient Indian political treatise called ‘Arthashastra’?
a) Vishnugupta
b) Kalidasa
c) Kautilya (Chanakya)
d) Panini
5. The ‘Great Bath’ was discovered in which ancient site of the Indus Valley Civilization?
a) Mohenjo-Daro
b) Harappa
c) Lothal
d) Dholavira
6. Ashoka the Great was the ruler of which dynasty?
a) Gupta Dynasty
b) Maurya Dynasty
c) Chola Dynasty
d) Satavahana Dynasty
7. Which ancient Indian emperor embraced Buddhism after the Kalinga War?
a) Chandragupta Maurya
b) Ashoka
c) Bindusara
d) Harshavardhana
8. The ancient university of Nalanda was located in which modern Indian state?
a) Uttar Pradesh
b) Bihar
c) Karnataka
d) Gujarat
9. Which ancient text is known as the ‘Fifth Veda’?
a) Bhagavad Gita
b) Ramayana
c) Mahabharata
d) Upanishads
10. Who is the author of the ancient Indian epic, ‘Ramayana’?
a) Vyasa
b) Valmiki
c) Kalidasa
d) Tulsidas
11. The ‘Indica’ was written by which ancient Greek historian?
a) Herodotus
b) Strabo
c) Pliny the Elder
d) Megasthenes
12. The famous rock-cut caves at Ajanta were built during which period?
a) Gupta Period
b) Maurya Period
c) Harappan Period
d) Kushana Period
13. Which Mauryan ruler was known for converting to Jainism and renouncing the throne?
a) Bindusara
b) Ashoka
c) Chandragupta Maurya
d) Samudragupta
14. The ancient Indian text ‘Manusmriti’ deals with which of the following?
a) Astronomy
b) Law and social norms
c) Medicine
d) Mathematics
15. The Harappan civilization is also known by what other name?
a) Mesopotamian Civilization
b) Indus Valley Civilization
c) Chinese Civilization
d) Egyptian Civilization
16. The famous Iron Pillar in Delhi, which has not rusted for centuries, belongs to which period?
a) Maurya Period
b) Gupta Period
c) Vedic Period
d) Mughal Period
17. Which ancient Indian text is considered the primary source of Hindu law?
a) Arthashastra
b) Manusmriti
c) Ramayana
d) Rigveda
18. The ancient port city of Lothal was part of which civilization?
a) Mesopotamian Civilization
b) Egyptian Civilization
c) Indus Valley Civilization
d) Greek Civilization
19. Who was the first Indian ruler to issue gold coins on a large scale?
a) Ashoka
b) Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya)
c) Harsha
d) Kanishka
20. Which ancient university was renowned for its teaching of Mahayana Buddhism?
a) Nalanda
b) Takshashila
c) Vallabhi
d) Vikramashila