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






2. Goddess of the hearth






3. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






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






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






6. 'After death'






7. The garment which signified a Roman man's citizenship






8. 'from the library of' used as an inscription on a bookplate to show the name of the book's owner: ex libris Mark Twain.






9. The male head of a Roman family






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






11. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






12. Good-humored & jolly (ancient astrologers thought that the planet Jupiter fostered cheerfulness)






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






14. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






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






16. '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






17. 'per year'






18. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






19. 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






20. 5






21. 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






22. 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






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






24. 'I'






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






26. The male head of a Roman family






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






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






29. 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






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






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






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






34. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






35. The norms or values of a society






36. Spirits who carry out curses and torture for wrongdoing toward one's family member (s)






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






38. The norms or values of a society






39. 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






40. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






41. A modern day race of 26.2 miles; from Marathon in Greece & the scene of a victory over the Persians in 490 BC; the modern race is based on the tradition that a messenger ran from Marathon to Athens (26 miles) with the news.






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






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






44. Goddess of wisdom






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






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






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






48. 'A slip of the tongue'






49. The river surrounding the Underworld






50. 'An unwelcome person' - used in diplomacy to indicate a person Who is barred from entering a certain country