Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q63 (IAS/1999) History & Culture › Ancient India › Mahajanapadas and Buddha Answer Verified

Which one of the following was initially the most powerful city state of India in the 6th century B.C. ?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

Early sources and syntheses of the mahājanapada period indicate that Kashi (centered on Varanasi) was initially the most powerful city-state at the outset of the 6th century BCE, famed for its wealth, markets and strategic riverside location; it was later subsumed by neighboring Kosala [1]. However, over the subsequent centuries Magadha emerged as the dominant mahājanapada — from the sixth to the fourth centuries BCE it rose to preeminence because of productive agriculture, access to iron, war elephants, riverine communications and the policies of ambitious rulers like Bimbisara and Ajātaśatru [2].

Sources

  1. [1] https://ebooks.inflibnet.ac.in/icp01/chapter/mahajanapadas-rise-of-magadha-nandas-invasion-of-alexander/
  2. [2] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Kings, Farmers and Towns > 2.2 First amongst the sixteen: Magadha > p. 31
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
50%
got it right
✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS · 2021 · Q14 Relevance score: -3.13

From the decline of Guptas until the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century, which of the following kingdoms were holding power in Northern India? 1. The Guptas of Magadha 2. The Paramaras of Malwa 3. The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar 4. The Maukharis of Kanauj 5. The Yadavas of Devagiri 6. The Maitrakas of Valabhi Select the correct answer using the code given below.

CDS-I · 2008 · Q33 Relevance score: -3.43

Which one of the following was the capital of Hoysalas?

CDS-II · 2007 · Q68 Relevance score: -3.43

Which one of the following was the capital of Hoysalas?

NDA-I · 2025 · Q53 Relevance score: -3.47

Which one among the following mahajanapadas in ancient India was an oligarchy ?

CDS-I · 2019 · Q19 Relevance score: -4.50

Which one of the following is the most populated State in India as per Census 2011?