Yavana (Greek) Invasions

Which Indian ruler of Taxila submitted to Alexander the Great without a fight during the Northwest campaign?

Assertion (A): Alexander's invasion of the Indus Valley had a profound long-term political impact by directly uniting northern India under Greek rule for centuries.
Reason (R): Alexander's stay in India was brief, and his satrapies were quickly dismantled or absorbed by the emerging Mauryan Empire.

True or False: Alexander the Great successfully defeated Porus at the Battle of the Hydaspes, though he was deeply impressed by Porus's bravery and reinstated him as a satrap.

Alexander's army mutinied and refused to advance further eastward at the river __________ due to exhaustion and fear of the Nanda Empire's mighty army.

What was the name of the Greek admiral who sailed Alexander's fleet from the Indus delta to the Persian Gulf?

Which Bactrian Greek king led the major invasion into northern India in the early 2nd century BCE, capturing parts of Punjab and the Indus valley?

Assertion (A): The Greco-Bactrian invasion led to the establishment of the Indo-Greek kingdom distinct from the Seleucid Empire.
Reason (R): Bactrian governors revolted against Seleucid authority, creating an independent Hellenistic kingdom that subsequently pushed into the Indian subcontinent.

True or False: Demetrius I is credited with issuing bilingual coins featuring Greek legends on the obverse and Kharosthi legends on the reverse.

The second capital established by the Indo-Greeks in the Punjab region, serving as a major hub for Demetrius and later rulers, was __________.

Match the Bactrian/Indo-Greek figures with their historical descriptions:
List I: 1. Diodotus I, 2. Demetrius I, 3. Eucratides
List II: A. Rival Greek king who contested Bactrian territories, B. Founder of independent Bactrian kingdom, C. Conqueror who crossed the Hindu Kush into India
Codes:

Which ancient Buddhist text records the philosophical dialogues between King Menander I and the sage Nagasena?

Assertion (A): Menander I became one of the most prominent royal patrons of Buddhism in the post-Mauryan era.
Reason (R): Menander sought to suppress Brahmanical traditions by exclusively promoting Hellenic religious rites across his empire.

True or False: Plutarch records that upon Menander's death, various Indian cities competed fiercely for his ashes to enshrine them in stupas.

Case: A Greek king ruling from Sagala engages in a rigorous debate with an arhat regarding the concept of 'Anatta' (non-self) and personal identity, eventually taking refuge in the Three Jewels. Identify the king.

By what Prakrit name is King Menander I famously referred to in Buddhist literature?

The Besnagar Pillar Inscription was erected by Heliodorus, who served as an ambassador from the Indo-Greek king Antialcidas to which Indian ruler?

Assertion (A): The Besnagar inscription provides clear epigraphic evidence of Greeks adopting indigenous Indian religious faiths.
Reason (R): Heliodorus identified himself in the inscription as a 'Bhagavata' and dedicated a pillar to the deity Vasudeva.

True or False: The Besnagar pillar is commonly referred to by locals as the Khamb Baba.

The Besnagar inscription mentions that Heliodorus was a resident of __________ (Taxila).

Which Hindu deity is honored on the Garuda capital atop the Heliodorus pillar?

What was a major innovation introduced by Indo-Greek rulers in Indian numismatics?

Assertion (A): Indo-Greek numismatics laid the foundational template for subsequent Indian dynasties like the Kushans and Guptas.
Reason (R): Later Indian rulers adopted the portrait style and weight standards established by Greek mints.

True or False: Gandhara art developed entirely independently without any Hellenistic or Greco-Roman artistic influences.

Match the coin scripts with their regional placements on Indo-Greek currency:
List I: 1. Obverse, 2. Reverse
List II: A. Kharosthi script, B. Greek script
Codes:

Name the unique school of art in northwestern India that blended Greek sculptural techniques with Buddhist themes.

Which nomadic tribes played a primary role in dismantling the Indo-Greek principalities in northwestern India?

Assertion (A): Despite their political collapse, the Indo-Greeks left a lasting imprint on Indian civilization.
Reason (R): Their innovations in minting, iconography, astronomy, and sculptural art were absorbed into the broader tapestry of Indian culture.

True or False: Strato II is recognized as the last known Indo-Greek king, ruling a small principality in the eastern Punjab before being overthrown by the Sakas.

The ancient Sanskrit astronomical text 'Yavanajataka' (Sayings of the Greeks) demonstrates the profound transmission of Hellenistic __________ knowledge into India.

What collective Sanskrit term was used by ancient Indians to refer to Greeks and other foreigners originating from the northwest?

Which battle is traditionally cited as Alexander's hardest fought engagement in the Punjab, fought against King Porus?

Who was the founder of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom who rebelled against Seleucid rule before his successors invaded India?

Which of the following cities served as the primary imperial capital for King Menander I?

True or False: Heliodorus was a native-born Indian Brahmin who converted to Greek culture before erecting the Besnagar pillar.

The refined and realistic depiction of the human form in Gandhara sculptures was heavily influenced by __________ art traditions.