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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. The river surrounding the Underworld






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






3. Another name for Zeus/Jupiter






4. Icarus was the son of Daedalus who flew too close to the sun with the wings his father made him from wax and feathers & and fell to his death






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






6. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






7. 'The end'






8. 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






9. 'After death'






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






11. Refers to an action or condition necessary for something to happen






12. 'seize the day'






13. 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






14. The daughter of king Minos of Crete & who helped Theseus escape from the labyrinth after he killed the minotaur






15. 'unknown land'






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






17. 5






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






19. Sea to the west of Greece; named after King Aegeus after he drowned himself in the sea thinking his son Theseus was dead






20. Used on documents & coins & monuments & etc. as an official signature of the Roman government






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






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






23. 'peace be with you'






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






25. King punished in Tartarus by having to roll a stone up a hill continuously for eternity; when he reached the top & the stone rolled to the bottom again






26. God of war






27. 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)






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






29. 50






30. A hollow wooden horse built by the Greeks so that they could get into the walls of Troy. The Greeks pretended to pack up and leave from the war & but some hid in the horse which was later led into the walls of Troy by the Trojans (thinking it was a






31. 'The other way around'






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






33. Goddess of the hunt






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






35. The king of the gods; god of thunder and lightning






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






37. The river surrounding the Underworld






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






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






40. God of the Underworld/Tartarus






41. Maze under the palace of Palace of Minos at Crete & where the Minotaur (half man & half bull) was thought to have been imprisoned






42. 'Time flies/flees'






43. 'The one who says farewell' -- the student with the highest grade point average & Who is chosen to give a speech at the end of graduation






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






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






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






47. 'Work conquers all'






48. 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






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






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