U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) (Re. Exam) 2015

Ancient Historiography

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: B

Concept Primary accounts by travelers and ancient geographers provide essential data on India’s early trade, geography, and social conditions.

Explanation 'Natural History' (Naturalis Historia) was written by Pliny the Elder (1st century CE). Ptolemy is famous for his 'Geography' and 'Almagest'.

Logical Breakup
Option B is Incorrect: Ptolemy did not write Natural History; Pliny the Elder did.
Option A: Hui-li, a disciple, wrote the biography of the famous traveler Hiuen Tsang.
Option D: Herodotus, known as the 'Father of History', wrote 'The Histories'.

Active Recall

Question

What was Pliny's 'Natural History' primarily about?

Answer

It was an early encyclopedia covering nature, art, and geography, including mentions of trade with India.

Core Insight

Roman accounts like Pliny’s are vital for proving the massive scale of the spice trade between the Roman Empire and South India.