Indo-Pak & Ancient Civilizations MCQs with Answers
Solved MCQs on the Indus Valley Civilization, Gandhara, the Maurya and Gupta empires and the Arab conquest of Sindh — for PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS and PMS.
Gandharan Civilization is closely associated with Buddhism and its Greco-Buddhist art style.
Taxila was the cultural capital of Gandhara and is called the ‘Pearl of Gandhara’.
Gandhara lay between the Indus and Kabul rivers, around the Peshawar and Swat valleys.
The Gandharan School of art peaked under the Kushan kings, notably Kanishka.
The Dharmajika Stupa at Taxila was built in the Kushan era.
The Indus Valley Civilization belongs to the Bronze Age.
The Harappan civilization is dated roughly 3300 BCE – 1300 BCE.
Mohenjo-daro means ‘Mound of the Dead’ in Sindhi.
Sir John Marshall led the excavations of both Harappa and Mohenjo-daro.
The drainage system is the most celebrated feature of Harappan town planning.
The bronze ‘Dancing Girl’ statue was discovered at Mohenjo-daro.
The Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro was used for bathing and public/ritual gatherings.
The Harappan writing system is called the Indus script and remains undeciphered.
Indus Valley people worshipped a Mother Goddess linked to fertility.
A statue of a bull was discovered at Harappa.
Mehrgarh, one of South Asia’s earliest sites, lies near the Bolan River in Balochistan.
Darius I of the Achaemenid Empire launched the first major invasion of the subcontinent (~515 BCE).
The Aryans are believed to have entered the subcontinent through the Khyber Pass.
The Vedic religion brought by the Aryans is the precursor of Hinduism.
Siddhartha Gautama was the birth name of the Buddha.
Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire in 324 BCE.
Chanakya (Kautilya) wrote the Arthashastra and taught at Taxila University.
Brihadratha was the last Mauryan ruler, killed by Pushyamitra Shunga (~185 BCE).
Emperor Ashoka adopted Buddhism after the Kalinga War.
Chandragupta I founded the Gupta dynasty — not to be confused with Chandragupta Maurya.
The Kushans were famous for issuing high-quality gold coins.
Harshavardhana is traditionally credited with starting the Kumbh Mela.
The ancient period of subcontinent history is taken to end with the fall of the Gupta Empire.
Muhammad bin Qasim invaded Sindh in 712 CE under the Umayyad Caliphate.
Raja Dahir was the ruler of Sindh defeated by Muhammad bin Qasim.
Hajjaj bin Yusuf, governor of Iraq/Kufa, sent Muhammad bin Qasim to Sindh.
Siskar was the Wazir (chief minister) of Raja Dahir.
The Chachnama records the Arab conquest of Sindh; Ali Kufi produced its Persian translation.
Taxila is regarded as one of the oldest centres of higher learning in the world.
Gandharan Civilization belongs to which religion?
Gandharan Civilization is known for its strong connection to Buddhism, especially its unique Greco-Buddhist art style.
The cultural centre of Gandharan Civilization was:
Taxila was the major cultural and educational hub of the Gandharan Civilization.
Which ancient city is considered the 'Pearl of Gandhara Civilization'?
Taxila is often described as the jewel or pearl of Gandharan Civilization due to its archaeological richness.
With which ancient city is Gandharan Art related?
Gandharan Art, characterised by Greco-Roman influence, flourished primarily in and around Taxila.
The Indus Valley Civilization is considered part of which age?
The Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Civilization) belongs to the Bronze Age.
The primary source of knowledge about ancient Indians is:
Since the Indus script is undeciphered, archaeological excavation remains the primary source for ancient Indian knowledge.
According to radiocarbon dating, how old is the Harappan civilization?
The Harappan Civilization is generally dated from about 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, with its mature phase between 2600 BCE and 1900 BCE.
The cultural roots of the Indus Valley Civilization lie in:
The core areas of the Indus Valley Civilization are located in Sindh and Punjab, with Sindh holding the principal sites.
'Mohenjo-daro' means:
In Sindhi, 'Mohenjo-daro' literally means 'Mound of the Dead Men'.
John Hubert Marshall, Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India, was responsible for the excavations of:
Sir John Marshall oversaw the major excavations at both Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, confirming the existence of the Indus Valley Civilization.
A statue of which animal was discovered at Harappa?
Seals and figurines depicting bulls (and buffalo) were common discoveries at Harappa.
Who first attacked the subcontinent?
Darius I (Darius the Great) of the Achaemenid Empire launched the first significant invasion and annexation of parts of the Indus Valley around 515 BCE.
Siddhartha was the original name of which historical figure?
Gautama Buddha's birth name was Siddhartha Gautama.
Gandhara civilization was located between which two rivers?
Gandhara's core territory lay around the Peshawar valley and Swat valley, located primarily between the Indus and Kabul rivers.
The people of the Indus Valley Civilization worshipped the:
Archaeological evidence suggests they worshipped a 'Mother Goddess' figure related to fertility and nature.
The Mehrgarh Civilization was located on the banks of which river?
Mehrgarh, one of the earliest Neolithic sites in South Asia, is located near the Bolan River in Balochistan.
Which is considered the most important feature of Harappan cities?
The highly advanced and standardised drainage and sewer systems are considered a unique feature of Harappan city planning.
The famous 'Dancing Girl' sculpture was discovered at which site?
The bronze 'Dancing Girl' statue was found at Mohenjo-daro.
The Aryans are believed to have entered the Indian subcontinent through which pass?
The Khyber Pass is the primary route historically used by invaders and migrants, including the Aryans, to enter the subcontinent.
The Great Bath found in Mohenjo-daro is believed to have been used for:
The Great Bath was a large public water tank likely used for bathing, ritual purification and gatherings.
The script used by the Harappans is known as:
The undeciphered writing system of the Indus Valley Civilization is called the Indus script.
The Vedic religion, influenced by the Aryans' arrival, is the precursor to which modern religion?
The Vedic religion brought by the Aryans developed over centuries into what is known today as Hinduism. The Vedas remain Hinduism's oldest scriptures.
Who was the founder of the Gupta Dynasty?
Chandragupta I is considered the founder of the imperial Gupta dynasty. (Note: Chandragupta Maurya founded the earlier Maurya Empire — a common exam trap.)
The Kushan Empire introduced coins made of:
The Kushan Empire was famous for issuing a large number of high-quality gold coins.
The Dharmajika Stupa in Taxila was built in the era of:
The Dharmajika Stupa was a major Buddhist monument that flourished under the Kushan Empire.
The Gandharan School of art developed during the reign of the:
The height of the Gandharan School of art was during the reign of the Kushan kings, notably Kanishka.
Which king started the Kumbh Mela?
King Harshavardhana (Harsha) is traditionally associated with establishing the large Hindu religious pilgrimage known as the Kumbh Mela.
Who founded the Maurya Empire in 324 BC?
Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire in 324 BCE with the guidance of his adviser Chanakya.
Which university was Chanakya associated with?
Chanakya (Kautilya) was a famous scholar and professor at the ancient Taxila University.
Who was the first ruler of the Maurya Empire?
Chandragupta Maurya was the first ruler and founder of the Maurya Empire. Chanakya was his chief adviser and strategist, not a ruler.
Who wrote the 'Arthashastra'?
The Arthashastra, the classic treatise on statecraft, economics and military strategy, was written by Chanakya, also known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta.
Who was the last ruler of the Maurya Empire?
Brihadratha was the last Mauryan emperor. He was assassinated by his commander-in-chief Pushyamitra Shunga around 185 BCE, ending the Maurya Empire.
Which religion did Ashoka adopt?
Emperor Ashoka famously converted to Buddhism after the bloodshed of the Kalinga War and went on to spread Buddhist teachings across Asia.
Who ruled Sindh during Muhammad bin Qasim's attack?
Raja Dahir was the Hindu ruler of Sindh who was defeated by Muhammad bin Qasim in 712 CE.
Which is the oldest university of the subcontinent?
Taxila (now in Pakistan) is regarded as one of the world's oldest centres of higher learning.
After the decline of which empire did the Gupta Empire rise?
The Gupta Empire rose to prominence several centuries after the collapse of the Mauryan Empire.
When did the ancient period of subcontinent history end?
The end of the Gupta Empire is often taken as the end of the Classical or Ancient period in South Asian history.
In which year did Muhammad bin Qasim invade Sindh?
Muhammad bin Qasim invaded Sindh in 712 CE.
'Chachnama' is a historical account about which region?
Chachnama documents the history of Sindh, particularly the reign of Chach and the Arab conquest.
Sindh was conquered by Muhammad bin Qasim during the period of the:
The Arab conquest of Sindh occurred under the Umayyad Caliphate.
Who was Siskar?
Siskar was the Wazir (chief minister) of Raja Dahir, the ruler of Sindh.
The 'Chachnama' was originally translated into Persian by:
The Chachnama was translated into Persian by Ali Kufi in the 13th century from an earlier Arabic account. Naseem Hijazi was a 20th-century Urdu novelist who wrote historical fiction, not the Chachnama.
Who was the governor of Kufa during the Umayyad Caliphate when Muhammad bin Qasim was sent to India?
Hajjaj bin Yusuf, the Umayyad governor of Iraq and Kufa, was the uncle and father-in-law who sent Muhammad bin Qasim to Sindh.
Who is known as the king of Sindh mentioned in the Chachnama?
Raja Dahir was the king of Sindh at the time of the Arab invasion, and features prominently in the Chachnama.
What is the name of the historical book that documents Muhammad bin Qasim's conquest of Sindh?
The Chachnama details the conquest of Sindh by Muhammad bin Qasim and the preceding rule of the Chach dynasty.
Indo-Pak & Ancient Civilizations — Complete Reference for Competitive Exams
Ancient history of the subcontinent is the opening chapter of every Pakistan Studies syllabus, and it is heavily tested in PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS, PMS, OTS and CTS papers. This page covers the full arc: the Indus Valley Civilization (Mohenjo-daro and Harappa), the Gandhara civilization centred on Taxila, the Maurya and Gupta empires, and the Arab conquest of Sindh by Muhammad bin Qasim in 712 CE. It is Chapter 1 of our Pakistan Studies MCQs hub.
Indus Valley Civilization — Key Facts
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Period | c. 3300 BCE – 1300 BCE (Bronze Age); mature phase 2600–1900 BCE |
| Major cities | Mohenjo-daro (Sindh), Harappa (Punjab) |
| Meaning of Mohenjo-daro | ‘Mound of the Dead’ in Sindhi |
| Excavated by | Sir John Hubert Marshall, Archaeological Survey of India |
| Famous artefact | Bronze ‘Dancing Girl’ (Mohenjo-daro); bull seals (Harappa) |
| Notable structure | The Great Bath, Mohenjo-daro |
| Hallmark feature | Advanced, standardised drainage system |
| Script | Indus script — still undeciphered |
| Religion | Mother Goddess worship (fertility cult) |
| Earliest site | Mehrgarh, near the Bolan River, Balochistan |
Empires & Rulers — Quick Comparison
| Empire | Founder | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Maurya | Chandragupta Maurya (324 BCE) | Adviser Chanakya wrote the Arthashastra; Ashoka adopted Buddhism; last ruler Brihadratha |
| Kushan | Kujula Kadphises | Gold coinage; Gandharan art peaked under Kanishka; Dharmajika Stupa at Taxila |
| Gupta | Chandragupta I | Rose after the Mauryas; its fall marks the end of the ancient period |
| Gandhara | — | Between the Indus and Kabul rivers; Buddhist; capital region Taxila |
The Arab Conquest of Sindh (712 CE)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who conquered Sindh? | Muhammad bin Qasim |
| In which year? | 712 CE |
| Under which caliphate? | Umayyad |
| Who sent him? | Hajjaj bin Yusuf, governor of Iraq & Kufa |
| Which ruler was defeated? | Raja Dahir |
| Raja Dahir’s Wazir? | Siskar |
| Which book records it? | Chachnama (Persian translation by Ali Kufi) |
Common exam trap: Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire (324 BCE), while Chandragupta I founded the Gupta dynasty centuries later. Examiners frequently mix these two in the options.
For further reading see Wikipedia’s entries on the Indus Valley Civilisation and the Maurya Empire. Syllabus references are published by FPSC and PPSC.