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Classical Literacy

Subject : literacy
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The city in Northern Africa that the Romans fought and destroyed during the Punic Wars (264-146 BC.)






2. The ninth letter of the Greek alphabet (i); commonly used in the phrase 'not one iota &' meaning 'not one bit'






3. Literally refers to the heel of Achilles (a character from the Iliad who killed Hector)


4. Large island off the southeast coast of Italy; home of Mt. Etna & a huge volcano; where the Cyclopes lived in the Odyssey






5. 100






6. Refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to take on some of the responsibilities of a parent






7. God of wine and revelry; son of Zeus and Semele






8. King of Troy during the Trojan War; father of Hector and Paris; begged Achilles to give his son Hector's body back to be properly buried (Achilles had been dragging it around the city)






9. A town on the western coast of Italy destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuius in AD 79






10. 'before midday &' in the morning & before noon






11. A polis (city-state) in Greece & center of art and philosophy & named after Athena (its patron goddess); the Acropolis was the hill in Athens where many temples (including the Parthenon & the temple to Athena) were located






12. 'seize the day'






13. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






14. King of Ithaca who came up with the idea of using the Trojan horse to defeat the city of Troy; hero of the Odyssey






15. Goddess of victory






16. The king of the gods; god of thunder and lightning






17. Refers to an action or condition necessary for something to happen






18. Reception hall (like the living room) in a Roman house






19. Refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to take on some of the responsibilities of a parent






20. A serpent-like monster with many heads and poisonous breath; when one head got cut off & it grew two more; killed by Hercules as his second labor






21. 'before midday &' in the morning & before noon






22. Homer's epic poem about Odysseus & kind of Ithaca & trying to find his way home from the Trojan War






23. Volcano which erupted in AD 79 and destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum






24. 'note well' i.e. take note






25. Greek island in the Ionian Sea; the home of Odysseus






26. God of war






27. 'I'






28. A modern day race of 26.2 miles; from Marathon in Greece & the scene of a victory over the Persians in 490 BC; the modern race is based on the tradition that a messenger ran from Marathon to Athens (26 miles) with the news.






29. 10






30. A mural painted directly onto wet plaster (fresco means 'fresh' in Italian)






31. Literally 'the greatest bridge' -- the chief priest of Roman religion (later & the emperor took on this role); now used to refer to the Pope & the head of the Catholic Church






32. The messenger god; god of thieves and travelers; son of Zeus; invented the lyre; escorted people to the Underworld when they died






33. Roman officials who were charged with protecting the people (the plebeians) from oppression; they were sacrosanct & meaning no one could harm them






34. The 9 goddesses who looked after the arts and inspired men in those arts






35. 'in the year of the Lord &' designating the time period after Christ's birth






36. 1






37. Daughter of Demeter; kidnapped by Hades to make her his queen






38. 5






39. Daughter of Demeter; kidnapped by Hades to make her his queen






40. 'I'






41. Goddess of love






42. The daughter of king Minos of Crete & who helped Theseus escape from the labyrinth after he killed the minotaur






43. 'All-knowing'






44. Titan who had to hold up the heavens on his shoulders as punishment for rebelling against Zeus






45. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






46. 'All-knowing'






47. Sorceress & wife of Jason; killed their children to get revenge on Jason for leaving her






48. A mural painted directly onto wet plaster (fresco means 'fresh' in Italian)






49. The wife of Odysseus; a model of faithfulness to one's husband






50. Mother Earth; the wife of Uranus & the sky; she gave birth to the Titans & the Cyclopes & and the Hundred-Handed Ones