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






2. 'firm ground/solid earth'






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






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






5. 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






6. 'per head' 'per person'






7. In early mythology & the resting place of heroes; the later mythology & where good people went in the afterlife






8. In early mythology & the resting place of heroes; the later mythology & where good people went in the afterlife






9. The male head of a Roman family






10. God of the sea






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






12. God of the Underworld/Tartarus






13. A system created by the Romans which carried water over long distances






14. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






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






16. 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






17. God of love and desire; son of Aphrodite






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






19. 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






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






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






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






23. 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






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

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25. The arena for gladiatorial games in Rome (also known as the Flavian Amphitheater)






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






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






28. 500






29. Writing after the body of a letter






30. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






31. After midday/noon






32. Speaker's platform in the forum & which was decorated with the prows of ships the Romans captured in war (rostrum means 'beak & prow of a ship')






33. 'beware of the dog'






34. 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






35. One of the seven hills of Rome & south of the forum; the site of the imperial palace






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






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






38. The ferryman for the river Styx going into the underworld






39. Goddess of the hearth






40. Goddess of the hunt






41. 'To infinity &' to continue forever & without limit






42. 'per year'






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






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






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






46. Home of the Greek gods






47. Prince of Troy Who was killed by Achilles in the Iliad; Achilles tied Hector's dead body to the back of his chariot and dragged it around the city walls three times






48. 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






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






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