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






2. A teacher Who is like a parent; comes from the Mentor & Odysseus' old friend & whom he left in charge of his son Telemachus when he went off to the Trojan War






3. A bundle of wooden sticks and an axe blade that the attendants of Roman magistrates carried; symbolized the magistrates' power to inflict capital punishment






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






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






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






7. Goddess of grain & the harvest & and the seasons; mother of Persephone/Proserpina






8. A bundle of wooden sticks and an axe blade that the attendants of Roman magistrates carried; symbolized the magistrates' power to inflict capital punishment






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






10. River that runs through the city of Rome






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






12. 'With highest honors' graduating from college in the highest grade scale






13. 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






14. The technical biological term for the human species

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


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






16. 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






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






18. 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')






19. God of metallurgy (metal working); married to Aphrodite






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






21. 1000






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






23. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






24. 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






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






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






27. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






28. Figuratively 'secretly.' Aphrodite gave her son Eros a rose. Eros gave it to Harpocrates & the god of silence & to ensure that his mother's love affairs remained a secret.






29. 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






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






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






32. Goddess of love






33. 'Thus always & to tyrants.' Allegedly said by Brutus during the assassination of Caesar. John Wilkes Booth also shouted it after shooting President Lincoln. It is now the motto of Virginia.






34. 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






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






36. 'from the office &' 'by right of office' - used to refer to someone Who is a member of a group (a board & committee & council & etc.) because they hold another office/position






37. 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






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






39. 'The other way around'






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






41. 'under penalty' a written order for a person to come testify in court






42. 'per year'






43. One-eyed children of Ouranos/Uranus and Gaea (Mother Earth); sided with Zeus during the war with the Titans; were helpers of the smith-god Hephaestus






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






45. 'for the time being' - temporary






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






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






48. 'The end'






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

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


50. Eurydice died on their wedding day. Orpheus went down to the Underworld to bring her back. Hades agreed & on the condition that Eurydice would follow behind Orpheus on their way up to the mortal world and he couldn't check to make sure She was behind