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






2. One of the 12 Titans & father of Zeus/Jupiter & who swallowed his children in an attempt to keep from being overthrown






3. 1






4. 'The state in which'






5. 1000






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






7. 'The other way around'






8. 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')






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






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






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






12. 'in memory of'






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






14. 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






15. 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






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






17. 'by mouth' - used on prescription medicines that have to be taken orally






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






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






20. 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)






21. God of the Underworld/Tartarus






22. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






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






24. 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')






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






26. '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.






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






28. 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






29. The messenger god; god of thieves and travelers; son of Zeus; invented the lyre; escorted people to the Underworld when they died






30. 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.






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






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






33. 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






34. 'That is' used for further explanation: 'in other words...'






35. God of love and desire; son of Aphrodite






36. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






37. 'And you & Brutus?' famous last words of Julius Caesar as the Senate members assassinated him; Brutus was supposed to be a friend of his & but had a hand in the killing






38. 'per day'






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






40. 'After death'






41. 'Time flies/flees'






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






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






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






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






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






47. 'Thus passes the glory of the world.' i.e. 'Worldly things are fleeting.'






48. 500






49. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






50. 10