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. 'Always prepared'






2. Lived in the Labyrinth; fed off of Athenian youths; killed by Theseus






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






4. 'beware of the dog'






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






6. 'The state in which'






7. 'horn of plenty' a symbol of food and abundance






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






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






10. 'in the whole &' 'as a whole &' 'totally'; ex: The suggestions were adopted in toto.






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






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






13. Daughter of Demeter; kidnapped by Hades to make her his queen






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






15. 1






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






17. Goddess of wisdom






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






19. 500






20. 'in the year of the Lord &' designating the time period after Christ's birth






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






22. God of wine and revelry; son of Zeus and Semele






23. 'To the point of sickness' - doing/saying something over and over until everyone is sick and tired of it






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






25. 'before midday &' in the morning & before noon






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






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






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






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. Goddess of the hearth






31. 'Word for word'






32. 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






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






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






35. Market place/business center






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






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






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






39. Through & by way of (from via- road & way)






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






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






42. The golden wool of a ram sought by Jason and the Argonauts






43. The 200 year period of peace which began under the rule of Augustus






44. 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.






45. 100






46. Greek island in the Ionian Sea; the home of Odysseus






47. 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






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






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






50. King of Ithaca who came up with the idea of using the Trojan horse to defeat the city of Troy; hero of the Odyssey