Question

Who is a foreigner according to the ancient norms?
A) Someone who is not an Indian
B) Someone who was not a part of that society or culture
C) City-dweller and forest-dweller
D) All of above

Answer 1

Hint: In today’s world, it's a totally different definition of a foreigner, you could say it's the opposite of what people used to mean when they say, a foreigner. We have different definitions for foreigners during ancient times.

Complete answer:
A foreigner is a person who was born in or came from a different nation than one's own or a foreigner is someone who is a citizen of a country other than your own. Now let us find the meaning of foreigner during ancient times.

Let us analyze the given options:
Option A) Someone who is not an Indian: Today we call a foreigner someone who is not an Indian in India, not in ancient norms. Hence, this option is incorrect.
Option B) Someone who was not a part of that society or culture: A foreigner in the mediaeval period was defined as someone who did not belong to that society or culture, whether they were city dwellers or forest dwellers. Hence, this option is correct.
Option C) City-dweller and forest-dweller: Forest dweller – Members of Scheduled Tribes who predominantly reside and live off the land, as well as forest inhabiting Scheduled Tribes. Other traditional forest inhabitants, including anyone who can show they've lived on and off the property for "at least three generations." City dweller - a person who lives in a big city, an urbanite, a metropolitan, or a group of metropolitans. Hence, this option is incorrect.
Option D) All of the above: We know Option B is the correct answer. Hence, this option is incorrect.

Therefore, Option ‘B’ i.e, Someone who was not a part of that society or culture is the correct answer. Since it is what foreigner was called in ancient norms.

Note: Yueh-chi were the earliest migrants, and they displaced Sakas. The Sakas conquered Bactria and Parthia before crossing the Bolan Pass into India. The Sakas were divided into five branches and settled in different locations of northwestern and northern India.