Test your basic knowledge |

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






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






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






4. 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






5. Athenian prince who killed the Minotaur






6. Volcano which erupted in AD 79 and destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum






7. 50






8. God of the Underworld/Tartarus






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






10. Goddess of victory






11. A state of disorganized matter from which the gods and the world were created






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






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






14. Goddess of victory






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






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






17. The norms or values of a society






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






19. 'I'






20. 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






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






22. 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






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






24. 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






25. 500






26. 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






27. Perseus slayed Medusa the Gorgon






28. After midday/noon






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






30. Doctor of medicine






31. 50






32. 'A slip of the tongue'






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






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






35. The three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the Underworld






36. 'unknown land'






37. Goddess of wisdom






38. 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)






39. Sailed with the Argonauts to take the Golden Fleece






40. 10






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






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






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






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






45. Volcano which erupted in AD 79 and destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum






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






47. 'I refuse &' used by the president of the US to stop any bill he sees unfit from passing






48. Temple in Rome dedicated to all the Roman gods






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






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