Deck 4: West Asia, Inner Asia, and South Asia to 1000 C.E

Question 1

By the third century C.E.,the rising cultural and political powers of the world included all of the following empires except

A)widespread urban culture and a specialized division of labor.
B)security and wealth.
C)strong imperial institutions and leaders.
D)complex roads and communications systems.

Answer 1

widespread urban culture and a specialized division of labor.

Question 2

Why did the Parthians rely more on Persian traditions in religious and cultural affairs during the last century or so of their rule?

A)The Parthians were able to defeat the Romans and consolidate their empire.
B)The Parthians disposed of the Greco-Bactrian Kushan threat to the east.
C)The Parthians attempted to collect the oral Zoroastrian textual heritage.
D)The Parthian period was one of weakness and decline that failed to lay groundwork.

Answer 2

The Parthians attempted to collect the oral Zoroastrian textual heritage.

Question 3

The language of the Parthian Arsacid Empire was

A)support for Zoroastrianism but toleration of other religions.
B)support for Buddhism and persecution of other religions.
C)support for Christianity and Judaism and suppression of other religions.
D)indifference and agnosticism.

Answer 3

support for Zoroastrianism but toleration of other religions.

Question 4

The Zoroastrian orthodoxy recognized four classes in Sasanid society:

A)Roman,Hellenistic and Bactrian traditions
B)Indian artistic and scientific works
C)Indian religious influences
D)All of these answers are correct.

Question 5

How did Parthian rule lay the groundwork for the nationalistic emphasis of the Sasanids?

A)Persian.
B)Aramaic.
C)Arabic.
D)Bantu.

Question 6

The oldest texts in ancient Persian dialects show that the Aryan peoples who settled on the Iranian plateau were related to the

A)enslave those who objected to their rule.
B)tolerate only those religions approved by the state.
C)adapt the governing institutions of their predecessors.
D)use the local currency and weights and measures throughout their empire.

Question 7

The text suggests that the death of Artaxerxes

A)relied on brutal repression to keep their subjects obedient.
B)practiced toleration of religious and cultural diversity.
C)promoted the forced assimilation to Persian culture.
D)instituted democratic elections for satraps and governors.

Question 8

Zoroaster was similar to the Hebrew prophets,the Buddha,and Confucius because he preached a message of

A)Islam.
B)Christianity.
C)Hinduism.
D)Jainism.

Question 9

Which of the following was part of Sasanid aristocratic culture?

A)"Way of the Elders."
B)"Divine Wind."
C)"He Who Lives."
D)"King of Kings."

Question 10

To hold their diverse empire together the rulers of the Achaemenid Dynasty

A)slowed,but could not stop,the decline of the Achaemenid Empire.
B)coincided with the rise of Macedonian power and contributed to the fall of the Achaemenid Empire.
C)led directly to the destruction of the Achaemenid Empire.
D)was a suicide,brought on by the pressure of administering the Achaemenid Empire.

Question 11

The first two Sasanid rulers,Ardashir and Shapur,

A)priests,warriors,traders,and peasants.
B)royalty,warriors,scribes,and artisans.
C)priests,warriors,scribes,and peasants.
D)royalty,scribes,traders,and peasants.

Question 12

According to the Hymn of Zoroaster,Ahura Mazda judges his followers by their

A)moral reform.
B)ethical indifference.
C)materialism.
D)None of these answers are correct.

Question 13

Parthian religious policy is best described as

A)took Bactria from the Kushans.
B)extended the Sasanid Empire beyond the Caucasus into Syria and Armenia.
C)centralized and rationalized taxation.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Question 14

By the second century C.E.,the Indo-Iranian world possessed all of the following characteristics of civilization except

A)Medes
B)Greeks
C)Etruscans
D)Egyptians

Question 15

Under the reign of Darius,the Achaemenid Empire generally

A)It was a reaction to the constant warfare on their frontiers.
B)It was decreed by the Parthian king.
C)The Parthians had always been intolerant of foreign traditions.
D)They were hoping to convert Christians and Buddhists.

Question 16

Zoroastrianism was removed from world history as a major force by

A)relied on terror and violence similar to the Assyrians.
B)used Greek scholars and merchants as government agents.
C)created a centralized,bureaucratic system similar to China.
D)developed an efficient administrative system,which borrowed much from preceding kingdoms.

Question 17

Pre-Achaemenid religious texts suggest that the earliest Persian religion

A)actions and accomplishments,not their thoughts.
B)motives and thoughts,not their actions and accomplishments.
C)knowledge and understanding,not their faith.
D)faith,not their knowledge and understanding.

Question 18

As part of their effort to reclaim the glory of the Persian past,the Sasanid rulers used the title shahanshah,which is best translated as

A)the Seljuk kingdom.
B)the Byzantine Empire.
C)Kush.
D)the Gupta Empire.

Question 19

The Achaemenids' imperial success was based in part on their ability to

A)was a primitive form of monotheism.
B)had many parallels with Vedic Aryan religion.
C)was strongly influenced by contact with Egypt.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Question 20

Based on Map 4-1,which of the following peoples were not under the control of the Persian Empire?

A)Vedic or Indo-Aryans of North India.
B)Parthians.
C)Seleucids.
D)Bactrian-Greeks.

Question 21

In his edicts,Ashoka suggests that the primary role of the monarch is

A)made little impact on the Indian subcontinent except in the northwest.
B)determined the political boundaries of India for centuries to come.
C)consolidated his conquests in India by establishing a road system.
D)promoted the Hellenization of India by encouraging his soldiers to settle in India.

Question 22

Based on Map 4-3 all of the following were Indian Empires or kingdoms except

A)Andhras
B)Persia
C)Tibet
D)Ethiopia

Question 23

Based on Map 4-3,which region was most likely to play a significant intermediary role between Asian and Mediterranean trade routes?

A)Buddhist.
B)Hindu.
C)Persian.
D)Chinese.

Question 24

Manichaeans advocated

A)Manichaean heresy.
B)unequal distribution of the Sasanid Empire's bounty and social justice.
C)demand for improved trade relations with the East.
D)massacre of orthodox Zoroastrians by the Huns.

Question 25

As ruler of the Mauryan Empire,Ashoka sought to rule in accordance with ahimsa,which is best defined as

A)to maintain a strong military presence.
B)to administer justice.
C)to teach the people righteousness.
D)to ensure the security of the state.

Question 26

A faith not spread along the silk route to central Asia was

A)Kutch.
B)Bactria.
C)Sunga.
D)Gupta.

Question 27

Based on Map 4-4,the two empires that dominated southwest Asia in 250 B.C.E.were the

A)the inventor of the Sanskrit alphabet.
B)the Buddhist tutor of the young prince Ashoka.
C)a cunning and ruthless political thinker who laid the basis of the Mauryan Empire.
D)the Zoroastrian monk who introduced the religion into southern India.

Question 28

Alexander the Great

A)from the west to India
B)from the north to India
C)from India to the east
D)from India to the south

Question 29

The chief rival of the Sasanid Empire for predominance in the Near East from the 3rd to 7th century C.E.was

A)Justinian.
B)Chosroes.
C)Ardashir.
D)Shaput.

Question 30

The writings of Faxien reveal that Indian law

A)Chosroes
B)Chandragupta II
C)Chandragupta I
D)Kumdradevi

Question 31

The academy at Jundishapur received refugee scholars from the

A)laid the foundation for Manichaeism.
B)preached toleration for the followers of all religions.
C)sought to impose Zoroastrian orthodoxy throughout the empire.
D)reconciled Zoroastrianism with Manichaeism.

Question 32

During the "Golden Age" of Indian civilization,culture was generally transmitted in which direction?

A)was based exclusively on Hindu principles.
B)was practically non-existent.
C)was increasingly influenced by Buddhist principles.
D)promoted social equality.

Question 33

Indian civilization gained its greatest splendor and power under whose leadership?

A)religious practice.
B)commensality.
C)endogamy.
D)trade or craft.

Question 34

Made under the Mauryan emperors,The Lion Capital of Sarnath demonstrates the influence of all of the following cultures except

A)Assyrian and Bihari empires.
B)Mauryan and Seleucid empires.
C)Mauryan and Arabian empires.
D)Indo-Greek and Tibetan empires.

Question 35

"Pahlavi" refers to

A)a radical dualism between spirit and matter.
B)a universal "justice."
C)restoring the original unity of Christian,Zoroastrian,and Buddhist teachings.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Question 36

The greatest figure in Sasanid religious history is Kartir,who

A)the official imperial language of the Sasanid culture.
B)the Sasanid generals who protected the empire against the Huns.
C)an ascetic Zoroastrian monastic sect.
D)the followers of Mazdak.

Question 37

The greatest emperor of the 6th century Sasanid Empire was

A)Arab Empire.
B)Byzantine Empire.
C)Indian Empire.
D)Tang Empire.

Question 38

Jati groupings in India organize groups according to all of the following criteria except

A)a spirit that requires sacrifice.
B)one of many equal deities.
C)the essence of a leaf,a flower and a fruit offered in devotion.
D)a transcendent supreme deity.

Question 39

Kautilya is famous in Indian history as

A)nonviolence.
B)"righteous conquest."
C)the "Middle Path," a right cause of conduct.
D)benign rule.

Question 40

The Mazdakite movement arose in response to the

A)Nestorian Christianity.
B)Zoroastrianism.
C)Manichaeism.
D)Mahayana Buddhism.

Question 41

Discuss the importance of the Achaemenid and Mauryan Empires to world history.What factor or factors do you think explain the successes of these empires? What were the most important weaknesses of these empires?

Question 42

Compare and contrast the teachings of Zoroaster to those of Hinduism.

Question 43

The Puranas became an important part of Hindu religious life during and after the Gupta era and are best described as

A)monasteries where people devote themselves to prayer and meditation.
B)holy sites where the Buddha lived and taught.
C)enlightened beings who postpone nirvana in order to help others.
D)None of these answers are correct.

Question 44

Discuss the major features of the Hindu and Buddhist traditions.What are the similarities between the two groups? Why did Buddhism spread to China and southeast Asia while Hinduism remained in India?

Question 45

The "Way of the Elders" refers to a Buddhist sect called

Question 46

Describe the effect Hellenistic culture had on the Seleucid rule.How were their concepts different from those of Alexander the Great? What were the major contributions of the Greek world to the East,and what was the specific effect on Bactria?

Question 47

Which of the following was not among the four basic Aryan varnas?

A)a new set of gods derived from Zoroastrianism.
B)pilgrimage sites associated with the lives of Hindu saints.
C)epic mythological texts that emphasize devotion to specific Hindu gods.
D)philosophical speculations about the nature of good and evil.

Question 48

What major role did the Steppe people play in the Eurasian subcontinent? How did the Parthians control a vast area? What were the major differences between the rule of the Sakas and Kushans,and the Parthians? In what ways can the Kushans and Sakas be considered important to world history?

Question 49

How was the first great Indian Empire created? What role did Chandragupta have in this movement? What geographic hurdles had to be overcome to bring the empire together? Why was the interaction with the Greeks important in this development?

Question 50

What aspects of the Gupta and Sasanid civilizations give rise to the claim that they represent the high point of Indian and Persian civilization? What contributions did each make to their respective cultures?

Question 51

How did the Achaemenid state rule over a long period of time? What were the main aspects of government control that enhanced the power base? What was the role of religion in this development?

Question 52

What are the religious origins of the caste system? What are the differences between the main Hindu castes? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the caste system?

Question 53

Detail the geography and trade routes of the Sasanid and Gupta Empires.Who controlled the main trade routes? What were they trading and with whom? How might trade have affected social,political and cultural development in south Asia?

Question 54

In the Bhagavad Gita,Lord Krishna presents himself as

A)servant
B)peasant
C)warrior/noble
D)tradesperson

Question 55

In Mahayana Buddhism,bodhisattva are

A)Mahayana.
B)Theravad
C)Amitabha.
D)Upanishada.

Question 56

The "Global Perspective" section at the beginning of the chapter casts doubts upon the progressive "rise of the west" interpretation for the first millennium C.E.Do you agree with their assessment? What model of historical change do you think might better fit world history in this time period?

Question 57

Why was Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism important in the creation of the Mauryan Empire? How did this development affect world history? What were some of the policies effected by Ashoka?

Question 58

What were the major teachings of Zoroaster and how did they impact the development of the Persian Empire? How did they impact other religions? What factors brought about the end of Zoroastrianism as a major force in world history?