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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. Gladiator who led an uprising of slaves against the Romans in the 1st c. BC






2. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






3. 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






4. 'great work'






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






6. 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.






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






8. God of the sea






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






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






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






12. Literally & the apple that Eris (goddess of strife) threw in front of Hera & Aphrodite & and Athena to cause a dispute over Who was the fairest; figuratively & anything which causes a dispute






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






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






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






16. Site of the Apollo's oracle at Delphi; home of the Muses






17. 'Higher!' -- the state motto of New York






18. 'per day'






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






20. 'firm ground/solid earth'






21. Kingdom in Asia Minor which fought against Greece in Homer's Iliad






22. 'A slip of the tongue'






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






24. The highest political office in the Roman Republic; 2 were elected every year






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






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






27. 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.






28. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






29. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






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






31. 'seize the day'






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






33. River that runs through the city of Rome






34. 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)






35. The Underworld; in early mythology & everyone went to Tartarus after they died; in later mythology & only bad people went to Tartarus after they died






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






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






38. 'Work conquers all'






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






40. Literally & the apple that Eris (goddess of strife) threw in front of Hera & Aphrodite & and Athena to cause a dispute over Who was the fairest; figuratively & anything which causes a dispute






41. 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






42. The male head of a Roman family






43. Goddess of the hunt






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






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






46. Kingdom in Asia Minor which fought against Greece in Homer's Iliad






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






48. 'per day'






49. Twin brothers & raised by a wolf; Romulus killed Remus and founded Rome






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