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. The male head of a Roman family






2. 'I came & I saw & I conquered &' famous words of Julius Caesar






3. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






4. 'After death'






5. 'peace be with you'






6. 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






7. 100






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






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






10. 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






11. The Underworld; in early mythology & everyone went to Tartarus after they died; in later mythology & only bad people went to Tartarus after they died






12. 1000






13. 'This for that &' a fair trade






14. The people in control of the Italian peninsula before Rome began to spread






15. 'Always faithful' - motto of the US Marines






16. The highest political office in the Roman Republic; 2 were elected every year






17. 'The other way around'






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






19. 'The things that must be done' - a to-do list






20. A long poem that narrates the deeds of a hero or the history of a nation & e.g. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey






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






22. 'my fault' ; tua culpa -'your fault'






23. Goddess of the hearth






24. 'Against' & used to show Who is up against who in sports matches & legal battles & etc.






25. 'A slip of the tongue'






26. 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






27. Victorious athletes & generals & and emperors wore crowns of made of the branches of the laurel tree to symbolize their victory; now & 'laurels' refer to someone's achievements






28. The city in Northern Africa that the Romans fought and destroyed during the Punic Wars (264-146 BC.)






29. 'A rare bird' - something unique/rare






30. 'beware of the dog'






31. 'for the time being' - temporary






32. 1






33. The technical biological term for the human species

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

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






36. After midday/noon






37. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






38. City-state in ancient Greece known for its powerful army; fought against Athens in the Peloponnesian Wars






39. Goddess of wisdom






40. 'The end'






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






42. 'great-souled & high-minded'






43. Carthaginian general who attacked Italy by crossing the Italian Alps in the 2nd Punic War; He was eventually defeated by Scipio at the Battle of Zama






44. The plebs were the free but non-aristocratic citizens of Rome; today & plebeian means 'of a low class'






45. Challenged Athena to a weaving contest and was turned into a spider for her excessive pride






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






47. 'Always prepared'






48. 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.






49. River that runs through the city of Rome






50. Winged horse which flew from the neck of Medusa the Gorgon after Perseus cut off her head