Answer:
d. Trade routes along the foothills of the northern mountains.
Explanation:
The Gupta Empire was one of the greatest political and military empires in the history of India. It was ruled by the Gupta dynasty between 320 A.D. and 550 A.D. and occupied most of northern India and current East Pakistan and Bangladesh. Under this empire, there was a period of peace and prosperity that favored the development of Indian culture from an artistic, literary, and scientific point of view.
The Gupta kings established an effective administrative system and a strong central power, allowing local autonomy in periods of peace. The society was ordered according to the beliefs of Hinduism with a rigid division in castes. At this stage, Hinduism acquires its main characteristics: the main divinities, religious practices, and the importance of temples.
The proximity of the trade routes in the northern border of the Gupta Empire gave access to the important commercial network of the Silk Road, which provided this empire with great wealth and a vibrant exchange of culture and ideas.
