Test your basic knowledge |

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. Queen of Sparta Who was promised to Paris by Aphrodite for choosing her (Aphrodite) as the fairest goddess; Helen was already married to Menelaus and her kidnapping began the Trojan War






2. Usually referring to Julius Caesar & the Roman dictator Who was assassinated on the Ides of March (March 15th) 44 BCE






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






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






5. 'I'






6. Maze under the palace of Palace of Minos at Crete & where the Minotaur (half man & half bull) was thought to have been imprisoned






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






8. A picture made from small bits of glass or pottery






9. Religion in Which many gods are worshipped (from Greek poly 'many' and theoi 'gods')






10. The oracle of Apollo; people visited the oracle for guidance and predictions of the future






11. A picture made from small bits of glass or pottery






12. Kingdom in Asia Minor which fought against Greece in Homer's Iliad






13. A king Who was tortured in the Underworld by having water and grapes within his reach & but the water and grapes pulled away whenever he went to take drink or a bite






14. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






15. 'I refuse &' used by the president of the US to stop any bill he sees unfit from passing






16. Goddess of wisdom






17. After midday/noon






18. Used on documents & coins & monuments & etc. as an official signature of the Roman government






19. Market place/business center






20. A state of disorganized matter from which the gods and the world were created






21. Titan best known for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to humans; He was punished by being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten by a bird everyday






22. Half-man & half-goat creatures; companions of Pan and Dionysus






23. 1000






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






25. The 200 year period of peace which began under the rule of Augustus






26. 'from the library of' used as an inscription on a bookplate to show the name of the book's owner: ex libris Mark Twain.






27. 'boyish &' 'childlike' (from puer- boy)






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






29. 'for the time being' - temporary






30. The river surrounding the Underworld






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






32. 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.






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






34. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






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






36. The golden wool of a ram sought by Jason and the Argonauts






37. 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)






38. Home of the Greek gods






39. 'Higher!' -- the state motto of New York






40. The god of the sky; created the Titans with Gaia & Mother Earth






41. Sweet-sounding (literally 'flowing like honey')






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






43. A series of three wars between Rome and Carthage & a Phoenician city in Northern Africa & for control of the Mediterranean (264-146 BC)






44. Maze under the palace of Palace of Minos at Crete & where the Minotaur (half man & half bull) was thought to have been imprisoned






45. Son of Zeus; had to complete 12 labors to regain favor with the gods after killing his family; when he died & he became a god






46. The food of the gods; some believe it kept them immortal






47. Temple devoted to Athena; located on the Acropolis of Athens






48. Out of her curiosity & she opened a box containing all the bad things in the world; she put the lid on just in time & so that hope did not escape from the box & too






49. 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)






50. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey







Sorry!:) No result found.

Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?


Let me suggest you:

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests



Major Subjects

Tests & Exams


AP
CLEP
DSST
GRE
SAT
GMAT

Browse all subjects

Browse all tests

Most popular tests