Iranian & Macedonian Invasion MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Iranian & Macedonian Invasion - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Khyber Pass.

Key Points

• The Khyber Pass is a historically significant mountain pass connecting Afghanistan and Pakistan and has been used as a key trade and invasion route.
• Alexander the Great entered India through the Khyber Pass during his campaign in the Indian subcontinent in 326 BCE.
• The pass is located in the Hindu Kush mountain range and has been a strategic route for centuries, linking Central Asia and South Asia.
• It served as a gateway for several other invaders, including the Mughals and Persians, into the Indian subcontinent.
• The Khyber Pass has played a crucial role in the cultural and economic exchanges between civilizations over millennia.

Additional Information

• Alexander's Campaign in India:
  • Alexander defeated King Porus in the Battle of Hydaspes (326 BCE), marking a significant event during his Indian campaign.
  • His expedition extended the influence of Greek culture in the region, leading to the Hellenistic period in parts of India.
• Geographical Importance of Khyber Pass:
  • The pass lies at an elevation of approximately 1,070 meters (3,510 feet) and spans about 53 kilometers.
  • It has historically connected the city of Peshawar in Pakistan with Jalalabad in Afghanistan.
• Hindu Kush Mountain Range:
  • The Hindu Kush is a major mountain range in Central Asia, stretching across Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan.
  • It has served as a natural barrier and a route for trade and military expeditions for centuries.
• Historical Significance of the Khyber Pass:
  • Besides Alexander, invaders such as Mahmud of Ghazni and the Mughals utilized the pass to enter India.
  • It remains a critical geopolitical route in modern times, influencing trade and security dynamics in the region.

The correct answer is Hyphasis.

Key Points

• The Hyphasis River is now identified as the modern Beas River, located in present-day Punjab, India.
• Alexander the Great and his army halted their eastward expansion at the Hyphasis River in 326 BCE due to strong resistance from his soldiers, who were weary after years of campaigning.
• The mutiny of Alexander's army at the Hyphasis marked the easternmost point of his conquests, as the soldiers refused to advance further into the Indian subcontinent.
• The decision to turn back was influenced by the harsh monsoon climate, fear of facing larger Indian armies, and the immense distance from their homeland in Macedonia.
• Alexander had already crossed the Hydaspes River (modern-day Jhelum) earlier, where he fought the famous Battle of Hydaspes against King Porus.

Additional Information

• Alexander’s Indian Campaign:
  • Alexander invaded the Indian subcontinent in 327 BCE, crossing the Hindu Kush and advancing into the Indus Valley.
  • He faced formidable resistance from Indian rulers, including King Porus of the Paurava Kingdom, whom he defeated at the Battle of Hydaspes.
• Battle of Hydaspes:
  • This battle was fought in 326 BCE near the Hydaspes River (modern Jhelum) and is considered one of Alexander’s most significant military victories.
  • Despite his defeat, King Porus impressed Alexander with his bravery and was reinstated as a vassal ruler.
• Reasons for the Halt at Hyphasis:
  • Alexander’s army was exhausted after nearly a decade of continuous campaigning, beginning in Greece and extending to the Indian subcontinent.
  • The soldiers were demoralized by the prospect of facing the powerful Nanda Empire and the challenging geographical and climatic conditions in the Gangetic plains.
• Post-Campaign Developments:
  • After halting at the Hyphasis, Alexander returned westward, founding cities and consolidating his conquests along the way.
  • He died in 323 BCE in Babylon, marking the end of his short-lived empire.
• Geographical Context:
  • The Hydaspes River corresponds to the modern Jhelum River, while the Hyphasis corresponds to the modern Beas River.
  • The rivers of the Punjab region played a crucial role in shaping the strategies and outcomes of Alexander’s Indian campaign.

The correct answer is - Khaber

Key Points

• Khaber Pass
  • The Khaber Pass is a mountain pass connecting Afghanistan and Pakistan, and it has been a key strategic military route for centuries.
  • In 327 B.C., Alexander the Great used this pass to enter India during his campaign to conquer the Persian Empire and expand his territory.
  • The Khaber Pass has historically been a crucial passageway for various invaders and traders traveling between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

Additional Information

• Bolan Pass
  • Located in modern-day Pakistan, this pass connects the Sibi region with Quetta in Balochistan.
  • It has been historically significant for trade and military movements, but it was not the route used by Alexander the Great to enter India.
• Kaithal
  • Kaithal is a city in the Indian state of Haryana and not a mountain pass.
  • It does not have historical significance as a route for military invasions into India.
• Banihal Pass
  • Located in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, this pass connects the Kashmir Valley with the outer Himalayas.
  • It was not relevant to Alexander the Great's campaign in 327 B.C.

The correct answer is 326 BC and 323 BC.

Key Points

• Alexander invaded Punjab in 326 BC during his military expedition to the Indian subcontinent, specifically targeting the region of the Indus River.
• The invasion marked the famous Battle of Hydaspes against King Porus, which took place near the Jhelum River in present-day Punjab.
• Alexander's death occurred in 323 BC in Babylon, reportedly due to fever, possibly exacerbated by other health conditions or poisoning.
• The invasion and subsequent death of Alexander significantly influenced the historical and cultural dynamics between Greece and the Indian subcontinent.
• His campaigns laid the foundation for Indo-Greek interactions and exchanges in art, philosophy, and trade.

Additional Information

• Battle of Hydaspes:
  • Fought in 326 BC between Alexander the Great and King Porus.
  • Despite losing, King Porus impressed Alexander with his bravery and leadership, leading Alexander to reinstate him as a satrap.
  • It was a turning point that marked Alexander's furthest expansion into the Indian subcontinent.
• Alexander’s Death:
  • Occurred in Babylon in 323 BC at the age of 32.
  • The cause remains debated, with theories ranging from typhoid fever, malaria, alcohol poisoning, or assassination.
  • His sudden death led to the fragmentation of his empire among his generals, known as the Diadochi.
• Influence on Indian Culture:
  • Alexander introduced Hellenistic influences in art, architecture, and coinage in India.
  • His campaigns facilitated cultural exchange and trade routes between Greece and India.
  • The Indo-Greek kingdoms that emerged later were direct results of Alexander’s influence.
• Alexander’s Legacy:
  • Known as one of history’s greatest military strategists and conquerors.
  • His empire stretched from Greece to Egypt and as far as the Indus River in India.
  • He is remembered for spreading Greek culture across his empire, a phenomenon known as Hellenization.

The correct answer is 326 BCKey Points

• Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BC: 
• Alexander the Great was the king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon.
• He had already conquered Asia Minor, Iran, and Iraq. 
• Alexander marched into northwest India from Iran and crossed the Indus River.
• He defeated King Porus of the Paurava kingdom in the Battle of the Hydaspes. Alexander captured Porus but allowed him to continue ruling his territory. 
•  Alexander remained in India for 19 months. He debated with the Brahmins, Indian philosophers known for their wisdom. 
• In July 325 BC, Alexander and his army returned to the west. 
• Alexander died in 323 BC. 

Correct answer is Battle of hydspace.

Key Points

• The Battle of the Hydaspes was fought between Alexander the Great and King Porus in 326 BC.
• It took place on the banks of the Jhelum River (known to the ancient Greeks as Hydaspes) in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent.
• The main reasons for Porus's defeat were Alexander's use of clever tactics, and the Macedonians' superior discipline and technology.
• The Indians used chariots which were inferior to the Greek's cavalry. 
• They did not have a well supported military infrastructure or a standing army.

Additional Information

• The Battle of Plassey was a decisive victory of the British East India Company over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies on 23 June 1757, under the leadership of Robert Clive.​
• The Mahabharata describes that, the third Pandava, Arjuna, defeats all the kings of Shakala in his Rajasuya conquest. 
• Kalinga was an important kingdom because it controlled the trade routes with Southeast Asia. So Ashoka wanted to capture it and lead his huge army to Kalinga in 262 BC. 

The correct answer is Napier

Key Points

• Napier was a British military officer that served in the Peninsular War against Napoleon Bonaparte, later he led the Bombay Army in the conquest of the Sindh.
• In the 16th and 17th centuries Sindh was ruled by the Mughals (1591–1700) and then by several independent Sindhian dynasties, the last of which lost the region to the British in 1843. At that time most of Sindh was annexed to the Bombay Presidency.
• Whole of Sind was annexed to British Empire in 1843.
• The territory was annexed by the Bombay Presidency of British India in 1843, following a British Indian conquest led by then Major-General Charles Napier in order to quell the insurrection of Sindhi rulers who had remained hostile to the British Empire following the First Anglo-Afghan War.

The correct answer is Hyphasis.

Key Points

Hyphasis River:

• It is the Beas river that flows from the Punjab state of India.
• The Ancient name of the Beas river was Vipasa, while the Ancient Greek name was Hyphasis.
• The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab.
• Alexandria (on the) Hyphasis was the name of the fortress on the west bank of the Hyphasis (Beas) river at which Alexander the Great stopped on 31 Aug 326 BCE in the course of his Indian campaign. Hence option 1 is correct.
• It was on the eastern border of Alexander's empire. Today, it is near Amritsar, part of Jhelum Punjab, India.
• Alexander's army, exhausted, homesick, and anxious by the prospects of having to further face large Indian armies throughout the Indo-Gangetic Plain, mutinied at the Hyphasis river and refused to march further east.

Battle of Hydaspes:

• The Battle of Hydaspes was a decisive battle fought between the armies of Alexander the Great and King Porus (also known as Poru, Paurava) in 326 BC.
• It ended in a victory for Alexander’s Macedonian Army. 
• Following the battle, King Porus was brought before Alexander and was asked how he wished to be treated, Porus replied “Treat me as a king would treat another king”. Impressed, Alexander indeed treated him like a king, allowing him to retain his lands.
• In 326 BC, their army of Alexander approached the boundaries of the Nanda Empire.
• His army, exhausted from the continuous campaigning and concerned at the prospect of facing yet another gigantic Indian army, demanded that they should return to the west.
• This happened at the Hyphasis (modern Beas).

The correct answer is 1219.

Key Points

• Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire in 1206 and launched military campaigns in China and Central Asia.
  • ​The Mongols were a nomadic tribe whole lived between the Ural Mountains and the Gobi Desert in Central Asia who always was at war until their military general, Temujin or also called Genghis Khan united them.
• The Mongols under Genghis Khan invaded Transoxiana in North-East Iran in 1219. Hence option 1 is correct.
• Genghis Khan invaded the Jin dynasty in China in 1214 and annexed the Qara Khitai in Central Asia in 1218.
• Mongols attacked India between 1221 and 1327 and later by Qaraunas of Mongol origin.

Additional Information

• Transoxiana is the region located in lower Central Asia and represents modern-day eastern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan in the west, southern parts of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. 
• The battle of Indus was fought between Genghis Khan of the Mongol Empire and Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu of the Khwarezmian Empire in 1221 and resulted in the victory of the Mongols.
• In 1227, Ghengis Khan died of illness during his last campaign against Western Xia.

The correct answer is the Battle of Hydaspes.

Important Points

• Alexander’s campaigns in India are the most noteworthy.
• In 327 BCE, Alexander marched from Bactra through the Hindukush and advanced towards the plains of the Indus.
• One section of his advancing force secured the communication route of the Hindukush and the other section under his own control entered Swat.
• He subjugated Swat after fighting fierce battles with the people of these mountain tracts.
• In 326 BCE, the two forces met at the Indus and after crossing the Indus he marched to Taxila.
•  Alexander was keen to meet Porus who had refused to submit to him and proceeded to Jhelum (Hydaspes).
• The weather conditions were very unfavorable as the entire region was covered under snow.
• He faced great adversity but managed to cross the Jhelum and mounted an attack on Porus’ army which was stationed at the opposite bank.
• This Battle of Hydaspes resulted in a complete Macedonian victory and the annexation of Punjab. Hence, option 3 is the correct answer.

Additional Information

• Alexander was born in July 356 BCE.
• He was the son of Philip II, the ruler of Macedonia.
• By 337 BCE Philip II had consolidated his control over the Greeks by creating a union of Greek states called the League of the Corinth.
• The Union was bound together under the hegemony of the Macedonian king and owed allegiance to the League.
• Among his many exploits, his campaigns in Persia are noteworthy.

The correct answer is 326 BC.

Key Points

• Alexander invaded India in 326 BC.
• Alexander the Great was a king (basileus) of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon.
• He overthrew the Persian empire.
• In 326 BC, Alexander invaded India, after crossing the river Indus he advanced towards Taxila.
• The Battle of the Hydaspes was fought in 326 BC between Alexander the Great and King Porus of the Paurava kingdom on the banks of the Jhelum River (known to the Greeks as Hydaspes) in the Punjab region.
• Alexander captured Porus and, like the other local rulers he had defeated, allowed him to continue to govern his territory.
• Alexander remained in India for 19 months which were full of fighting in July 325 BC Alexander and his army returned westward for home.

The Correct Answer is Chandragupta, Chanakya.

 Key Points

• In c. 322 BC, one year after Alexander's death, Chandragupta Maurya of Magadha founded the Maurya Empire in India.
• His death led to the rise of Chandragupta.

 Additional Information

• The Indian subcontinent campaign of Alexander the Great began in 326 BC.
• After conquering the Achaemenid Empire of Persia, the Macedonian king Alexander launched a campaign into the Indian subcontinent in present-day Pakistan, part of which formed the easternmost territories of the Achaemenid Empire following the Achaemenid conquest of the Indus Valley (late 6th century BC).
• After gaining control of the former Achaemenid satrapy of Gandhara, including the city of Taxila, Alexander advanced into Punjab, where he engaged in the battle against the regional king Porus, whom Alexander defeated in the Battle of the Hydaspes in 326 BC.
• Alexander died in Babylon on 10 or 11 June 323 BC.

The correct answer is Khyber Pass.

Key Points

• The Khyber Pass is a historically significant mountain pass connecting Afghanistan and Pakistan and has been used as a key trade and invasion route.
• Alexander the Great entered India through the Khyber Pass during his campaign in the Indian subcontinent in 326 BCE.
• The pass is located in the Hindu Kush mountain range and has been a strategic route for centuries, linking Central Asia and South Asia.
• It served as a gateway for several other invaders, including the Mughals and Persians, into the Indian subcontinent.
• The Khyber Pass has played a crucial role in the cultural and economic exchanges between civilizations over millennia.

Additional Information

• Alexander's Campaign in India:
  • Alexander defeated King Porus in the Battle of Hydaspes (326 BCE), marking a significant event during his Indian campaign.
  • His expedition extended the influence of Greek culture in the region, leading to the Hellenistic period in parts of India.
• Geographical Importance of Khyber Pass:
  • The pass lies at an elevation of approximately 1,070 meters (3,510 feet) and spans about 53 kilometers.
  • It has historically connected the city of Peshawar in Pakistan with Jalalabad in Afghanistan.
• Hindu Kush Mountain Range:
  • The Hindu Kush is a major mountain range in Central Asia, stretching across Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan.
  • It has served as a natural barrier and a route for trade and military expeditions for centuries.
• Historical Significance of the Khyber Pass:
  • Besides Alexander, invaders such as Mahmud of Ghazni and the Mughals utilized the pass to enter India.
  • It remains a critical geopolitical route in modern times, influencing trade and security dynamics in the region.

The correct answer is - Khaber

Key Points

• Khaber Pass
  • The Khaber Pass is a mountain pass connecting Afghanistan and Pakistan, and it has been a key strategic military route for centuries.
  • In 327 B.C., Alexander the Great used this pass to enter India during his campaign to conquer the Persian Empire and expand his territory.
  • The Khaber Pass has historically been a crucial passageway for various invaders and traders traveling between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

Additional Information

• Bolan Pass
  • Located in modern-day Pakistan, this pass connects the Sibi region with Quetta in Balochistan.
  • It has been historically significant for trade and military movements, but it was not the route used by Alexander the Great to enter India.
• Kaithal
  • Kaithal is a city in the Indian state of Haryana and not a mountain pass.
  • It does not have historical significance as a route for military invasions into India.
• Banihal Pass
  • Located in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, this pass connects the Kashmir Valley with the outer Himalayas.
  • It was not relevant to Alexander the Great's campaign in 327 B.C.

The correct answer is Hyphasis.

Key Points

• The Hyphasis River is now identified as the modern Beas River, located in present-day Punjab, India.
• Alexander the Great and his army halted their eastward expansion at the Hyphasis River in 326 BCE due to strong resistance from his soldiers, who were weary after years of campaigning.
• The mutiny of Alexander's army at the Hyphasis marked the easternmost point of his conquests, as the soldiers refused to advance further into the Indian subcontinent.
• The decision to turn back was influenced by the harsh monsoon climate, fear of facing larger Indian armies, and the immense distance from their homeland in Macedonia.
• Alexander had already crossed the Hydaspes River (modern-day Jhelum) earlier, where he fought the famous Battle of Hydaspes against King Porus.

Additional Information

• Alexander’s Indian Campaign:
  • Alexander invaded the Indian subcontinent in 327 BCE, crossing the Hindu Kush and advancing into the Indus Valley.
  • He faced formidable resistance from Indian rulers, including King Porus of the Paurava Kingdom, whom he defeated at the Battle of Hydaspes.
• Battle of Hydaspes:
  • This battle was fought in 326 BCE near the Hydaspes River (modern Jhelum) and is considered one of Alexander’s most significant military victories.
  • Despite his defeat, King Porus impressed Alexander with his bravery and was reinstated as a vassal ruler.
• Reasons for the Halt at Hyphasis:
  • Alexander’s army was exhausted after nearly a decade of continuous campaigning, beginning in Greece and extending to the Indian subcontinent.
  • The soldiers were demoralized by the prospect of facing the powerful Nanda Empire and the challenging geographical and climatic conditions in the Gangetic plains.
• Post-Campaign Developments:
  • After halting at the Hyphasis, Alexander returned westward, founding cities and consolidating his conquests along the way.
  • He died in 323 BCE in Babylon, marking the end of his short-lived empire.
• Geographical Context:
  • The Hydaspes River corresponds to the modern Jhelum River, while the Hyphasis corresponds to the modern Beas River.
  • The rivers of the Punjab region played a crucial role in shaping the strategies and outcomes of Alexander’s Indian campaign.