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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. God of the Underworld/Tartarus






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






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






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






5. Festival of Saturn held on December 17th & during which social roles were temporarily reversed (slaves enjoyed relaxed discipline & etc)






6. Home of the Greek gods






7. 'great-souled & high-minded'






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






9. 10






10. 'I'






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






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






13. 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






14. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






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






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 wine and revelry; son of Zeus and Semele






18. 'Work conquers all'






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






20. The three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the Underworld






21. 'The other way around'






22. First emperor of the Roman Empire; adopted son of Julius Caesar; member of the 2nd Triumvirate; also known as Octavian






23. 'And the rest' usually seen at the end of a list of things & instead of listing everything






24. 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






25. Characterized by sitting & inactive (from sedet- to sit)






26. 'for the sake of an example' - abbreviation used when providing an example






27. 'per day'






28. A large horse and chariot racing track in Rome






29. The three goddesses who determine a person's life: when he will be born & how long he will live & and when he will die; one sister spins the thread of life & the second measures out a certain length & and the third cuts it at the end of the person's






30. 'per year'






31. 'doctor/teacher of philosophy' - an advanced academic degree






32. 'To err is human' - in other words & it's normal to mess up






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






34. 'I'






35. River that runs through the city of Rome






36. 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






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






38. 'A slip of the tongue'






39. Writing after the body of a letter






40. The 15th of March & the day in 44 BC Julius Caesar was assassinated






41. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






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






43. 'one out of many' - found on most US minted coins and the back of the dollar bill






44. 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)






45. A material prepared in ancient Egypt from the pithy stem of a water plant & used in sheets throughout the ancient Mediterranean world for writing or painting on






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






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






48. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






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






50. A member of one of the original aristocratic families of Rome; 'aristocratic'