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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. 'under penalty' a written order for a person to come testify in court






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






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






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






5. The norms or values of a society






6. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






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






8. Female monsters who had snakes for hair and whose horrifying gaze could turn a man to stone if he looked at them (Medusa was one of the Gorgons)






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






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






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






12. Goddess of the hearth






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






14. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






15. A serpent-like monster with many heads and poisonous breath; when one head got cut off & it grew two more; killed by Hercules as his second labor






16. 'After death'






17. After midday/noon






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






19. 'seize the day'






20. Titan best known for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to humans; He was punished by being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten by a bird everyday






21. 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






22. The plebs were the free but non-aristocratic citizens of Rome; today & plebeian means 'of a low class'






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






24. 'great-souled & high-minded'






25. Inventor who created the Labyrinth where the Minotaur lived






26. The river surrounding the Underworld






27. Goddess of love






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






29. 'With highest honors' graduating from college in the highest grade scale






30. Blind poet Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey






31. 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






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






33. A serpent-like monster with many heads and poisonous breath; when one head got cut off & it grew two more; killed by Hercules as his second labor






34. God of metallurgy (metal working); married to Aphrodite






35. 1000






36. 'for the time being' - temporary






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






38. 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')






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






40. 'With highest honors' graduating from college in the highest grade scale






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






42. 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






43. Writing after the body of a letter






44. 'beware of the dog'






45. 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






46. 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






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






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






49. The river surrounding the Underworld






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