[Mission 2023] STATIC QUIZ, 28 December 2022 – Ancient and Medieval

Solution: d)

Kings adopted a number of steps to win the support of men who were powerful, either economically, or socially, or because of their political and military strength. For instance:

Some important administrative posts were now hereditary. This means that sons succeeded fathers to these posts. For example, the poet Harishena was a maha-danda- nayaka, or chief judicial officer, like his father.

Sometimes, one person held many offices. For instance, besides being a maha-danda- nayaka, Harishena was a kumar-amatya, meaning an important minister, and a sandhi- vigrahika, meaning a minister of war and peace.

Besides, important men probably had a say in local administration. These included the nagarashreshthi or chief banker or merchant of the city, the sarthavaha or leader of the merchant caravans, the prathama-kulika or the chief craftsman, and the head of the kayasthas or scribes

Solution: c)

Katyayana describes the judicial process at length.

• The court of justice was attended by the king as the highest court of appeal. He was assisted by the judges, ministers, Chief Priest, brahmans, and assessors, varying in accordance with the needs of the individual cases.
• On certain occasions representatives of commercial institutions were also invited to assist the Recognized judicial bodies were the guild, the folk-assembly or council, a substitute appointed by the king in his own place (generally a brahman), and the king himself.
• Judgement was based either on the legal texts or social usage or the edict of the king (which could not contradict the first two to any great extent).
• Evidence was based on any or all of three sources, documents, witnesses, or the possession of incriminating objects.
• Ordeal as a means of proof was not only permitted but used.

Solution: d)

Puranas, Karshapanas, and Pana were the earliest punch-marked coins struck in India in the 6th century BC by the numerous Janapadas and Mahajanapadas of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

The true beauty and grandeur of the literature in Gupta Era can be seen in the kavyas. The greatest among all the names is Kalidasa who lived in the 4th century CE and was a contemporary of Chandragupta II.

Solution: a)

The founder of the Satavahana dynasty was Simuka. He was succeeded by Krishna, who extended the kingdom up to Nasik in the west.

The third king was Sri Satakarni. He conquered western Malwa and Berar. He also performed asvamedha sacrifices.

The seventeenth king of the Satavahana dynasty was Hala. He reigned for a period of five years. Hala became famous for his book Gathasaptasati, also called Sattasai. It contains 700 verses in Prakrit language.

Solution: a)

Pallavas

• The early Pallava rulers from 250 D. to 350 A.D. issued their charters in Prakrit.
• The second line of Pallava rulers who ruled between 350 A.D. and 550 A.D. issued their charters in Sanskrit.

Mahendravarman I (600 – 630 A.D.)

• He was a great builder of cave The Mandagappattu inscription hails him as Vichitrachitta.

Narasimhavarman I (630-668 A.D.)

• Narasimhavarman I was also known as Mamalla, which means ‘great wrestler’.

Narasimhavarman II or Rajasimha (695 -722 A.D.)

• The Shore temple at Mamallapuram and the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram were built in his reign.