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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. 'seize the day'






2. Epic poem written by Home chronicling the Trojan War






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






4. 10






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






6. God of love and desire; son of Aphrodite






7. 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






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






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






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






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






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






13. 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






14. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






15. 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






16. God of war






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






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






19. Sweet-sounding (literally 'flowing like honey')






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






21. The food of the gods; some believe it kept them immortal






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






23. 'After death'






24. 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






25. God of the sea






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. 'Word for word'






28. The ferryman for the river Styx going into the underworld






29. 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






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






31. The technical biological term for the human species

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






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






34. Goddess of the hearth






35. 'per year'






36. 'All-knowing'






37. 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)






38. 'I'






39. 'Against' & used to show Who is up against who in sports matches & legal battles & etc.






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






41. 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






42. A king Who was tortured in the Underworld by having water and grapes within his reach & but the water and grapes pulled away whenever he went to take drink or a bite






43. 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






44. 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)






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






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






47. 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






48. First emperor of the Roman Empire; adopted son of Julius Caesar; member of the 2nd Triumvirate; also known as Octavian






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






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