Operatic Roman History Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sabines

Pietro Simone Agostini (1635-1680) was an Italian composer who produced eight operas, among them "Il Ratto delle Sabine" ("The Rape of the Sabines"). Antonio Draghi (1634- 700), another Italian composer who completed 115 operas, also treated this subject. Painters who depicted this episode of Roman history, are (among others) Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665), Luca Giordano (1634-1705) and Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640).

The Sabines were a tribe living north-east of Rome. They became Roman citizens without voting rights in 290 BC. From 268 BC on, they were given full citizenship.

The Etruscans were a famous tribe living mostly in the region of what is now called Tuscany. Roman civilisation underwent considerable influence from the Etruscan peoples, for example in the construction of what might loosely be called engineering projects (aqueducts, sewers...) and also in the field of religion. The famous gladiator games were in fact based upon an Etruscan tradition at funerals.

The Volsci were a tribe living to the east of Rome, in the Apennine Mountains. They were submitted to the Roman authority in 304 BC.
The Samnites were a tribe living to the south-east of Rome, in the region that is nowadays called Campania. The Romans and the Samnites fought each other in three wars, at the end of which the Samnite people were submitted in 290 BC. And yet the Samnite people did not calm down: they supported Hannibal's invasion in 218 BC.

Answer: Vestals

Gaspare Spontini (1774-1851) was an Italian composer, who moved to Paris in 1803. After having served Napoleon as composer, he worked for Louis XVIII and later on for Frederick William III of Prussia. The opera is entitled "La Vestale" ("The Vestal Virgin").
The Vestal Virgins were priestesses of the Roman goddess Vesta - one of the few Roman deities that was not "imported" from other cultures (mainly from Greek mythology). A Vestal virgin, who broke the oath of chastity, had to be buried alive.

Answer: Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Maior

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) is of course the best known classical composer. His works include 46 symphonies, 16 operas, 17 masses and so on, and so on. The 1772 opera mentioned is "Il Sogno di Scipione" ("Scipio's Dream").

Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Maior (236 BC-184 BC), often simply referred to as Scipio. He fought the Carthaginians in Spain and finally in Africa; he was the Roman general at Zama (202 BC) who inflicted the final defeat on Carthage. Scipio's family included at least nine members who became famous enough to be mentioned in the Encarta Encyclopaedia.

Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator (275 BC-203 BC) was a cunning general who defeated Hannibal by delaying major battles and cutting Hannibal's supply lines. Fabius knew that Hannibal would decimate the Roman legions in battle on open field: Hannibal had already proven his superior tactical abilities and he still had some elephants and camels in his army. These animals were unfamiliar to the Roman soldiers and hence formed an element of surprise.

Gaius Mucius Scaevola was a legendary Roman hero who failed to kill the Etruscan dictator Porsena. After being caught, he held his right hand into the fire until it burnt away. Some sources conclude with Mucius' words to the effect that there were plenty other volunteers to kill Porsena, who then retreated.

Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus was a Roman consul who fought the Latine tribes in 340 BC, after having executed his own son for treason.

Answer: Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis

Johann Adolf Hasse (1699-1783) was a German composer. He completed about 80 operas and eleven oratorios. The opera referred to here is "Catone in Utica" ("Cato in Utica").

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) was an Italian poet who wrote the famous "Divina Commedia". In this epic poem Dante describes his journey through Hell, Purgatory and Heaven. Dante's guide through Hell and Purgatory is the Roman poet Publius Vergilius Maro (70BC-19BC), the author of the Aeneid. Virgil (or Vergil) described in the Aeneid the fate that led Aeneas to Italy, where his grandson would found Rome.
By the way, the orthography of Dante's name does not include the patronymic "d'" reserved for higher nobility. As Dante's family was only lower nobility, the correct orthography is Dante Alighieri.
Publius Papinius Statius (40 AD-96 AD) was another Roman poet. Dante claims that Statius was secretly converted to the Christian religion.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4AD-65 AD) was a Roman philosopher, who instructed Nero (37 AD - 68 AD). When Nero accused him of conspiracy, Seneca committed suicide.

Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis acquired his fourth name from the city in which he committed suicide. He is not to be confused with his great-grandfather, Marcus Porcius Cato Maior (234 BC-149 BC), who is said to have ended every speech in the senate with the words "Ceterum censeo delendam esse Carthaginem" ("Furthermore, I believe Carthage must be destroyed").

Answer: Gaius Julius Caesar

Malipiero (1882-1973) was an Italian composer. He started his career in avant-garde style, but later introduced neo-classical compositions. His work includes 28 operas and eleven symphonies. Of these 28 operas, I've chosen "Giulio Cesare" ("Julius Caesar").

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106BC-44BC) was a Roman politician and lawyer. He will best be remembered for his speeches, among which the world famous four "Orationes in Catilinam". In these speeches he accused Lucius Sergius Catilina (108 BC-62 BC) of preparing a coup.

Lucius Licinius Lucullus (117 BC-56 BC) was a Roman consul and general. He defeated Mithridates of Pontus and the Armenian king Tigranes. Lucullus is not very famous for his military achievements and is best remembered as one of the first named gourmets.

Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (106 BC-48 BC) was a famous Roman general. Pompey formed, with Caesar and Crassus, a triumvirate, but soon the partners disagreed and started civil war.

Gaius Julius Caesar (100 BC-45 BC) was a famous Roman general. He conquered Gaul, tried to invade Britain (without lasting success), and won the civil war against Pompey. He was murdered March 15th, 45 BC, by a number of conspiring senators. Caesar was *not* the first Roman Emperor, but his name soon became synonym for "emperor". His famous quotes include "Veni, vidi, vici" ("I came, I saw and I won") and "Alea iacta est" ("The die is cast").

Answer: Arminius

Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) was one of the most prolific Italian composers. He completed 115 operas, 12 symphonies, 50 oratorios, 600 cantatas... It was the opera "Arminio" ("Arminius") that attracted my attention.

The four options I gave in this question were all famous enemies of Rome. Hannibal Barca was a Carthaginian general (247 BC-183 BC) who led an army of about 40,000 troops and about 40 elephants over the Pyrenees and the Alps into Italy, where he defeated the Roman legions in three open battles. The Roman consul Fabius Cunctator decided to evade battle and cut Hannibal's supply lines, so Hannibal finally lost.

Vercingetorix (72BC-46 BC) was leader of the Gallic tribe of the Arverni. He assembled a large army in order to fight Julius Caesar, but was defeated in Alesia in 52 BC.

Artabanus IV was king of Parthia (nowadays Iran) from 216AD until 224 AD.

Arminius (Hermann) (16BC-21 AD) was leader of the Germanic tribe of the Cherusks, who lived near present Braunschweig. He was a Roman ally, until the Roman governor Publius Quintilius Varus (50BC-9AD) tried to levy heavy taxes in Germany. Then the Cherusks and other German tribes laid an ambush in the Teutoburg Forest, where they extinguished three entire legions and some other divisions (about 25,000 troops). Only a few Romans managed to escape from this slaughter.

Answer: Julia Agrippina Minor

George Frederick Handel (1685-1759) was born Halle (in what is now Sachsen-Anhalt) in Germany, but lived most of his life in London. He composed over 40 operas, 18 oratorios and about 100 cantatas. The opera I mention is titled "Agrippina".

Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus Britannicus (see the book "I, Claudius" by Robert Graves) was born in 10 BC. He became the fourth Roman Emperor in 41 AD and died in 54 AD. Although he was considered by his contemporaries as a bit of a weirdo, modern history thinks he made rather a good Emperor. His predecessor (Caligula) and his adoptive son (Nero) have proven that "wicked" Emperors can exist.

Claudius' first wife was Plautia Urgulanilla, whom he married in 9 AD. He divorced her after fifteen years for adultery. Claudius married Aelia Paetina, sister of Sejanus', in 28 AD. He divorced her in 31AD following the death sentence of Sejanus (convicted of conspiracy).

Valeria Messalina (born in 20AD or 24AD) was Claudius' third wife. They married in 38 AD and Messalina became Empress in 41 AD. She was executed in 48 AD for adultery.

Agrippina (15AD-59 AD) was Claudius' fourth and last wife, whom he married in 49 AD. She convinced Claudius to adopt her son Nero, so that Nero would eventually succeed to Claudius. Rumour says that she was responsible for having poisoned Claudius (with mushrooms, according to Robert Graves).

Answer: Titus Flavius Vespasianus

Mozart (1756-1791) was an Austrian composer. His opera "La Clemenza di Tito" ("Titus' Clemency") was first performed in Prague on September 6th, 1791. The last opera Mozart completed was "Die Zauberflöte" ("The Magic Flute"), which had its first night on September 30th, 1791.

Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus (76AD-138AD) was Emperor of Rome from 117 AD till his death. He ordered the building of Hadrian's Wall to protect Britain from invaders from the north.

Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constaninus (280AD-337 AD) is better known as Constantine I. He was the first Roman Emperor to recognise the Christian religion and give Christians equal rights.

Flavius Theodosius Magnus (346AD-395 AD) was Emperor of the Eastern part of the Roman Empire from 379 AD and became Emperor of all Rome in 395 AD.

Titus Flavius Vespasianus (39AD-81 AD) was the son of the ninth Emperor of Rome. Titus succeeded his father Vespasian in 79 AD. Shortly after Titus had accepted the reign, Vesuvius erupted. Titus started a rebuilding program to give the survivors of this catastrophe adequate housing.

Answer: Jone

Edward George Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873) was a British politician and novelist. He published "The Last Days of Pompeii" in 1834.
Enrico Petrella (1813-1877) was an Italian composer who completed only three operas.

Thaïs, Aspasia and Phryne were famous "hetaerae": Greek women active in the entertainment sector. The "hetaerae" could provide cultural entertainment (music, dance...) or that kind of entertainment that has always been despised ...

Aspasia was the unmarried partner of Pericles (494BC-429 BC). As a hetaera and as a foreigner, she was forbidden to marry an Athenian citizen. Phryne posed for Apelles, the painter that worked in the second half of the fourth century BC. Thaïs was the partner of Ptolemy I Soter (367 BC - 283 BC), King of Egypt. Jules Massenet (1842-1912) named an opera after her.

The story of "The Last Days of Pompeii" and of Petrella's opera portrays Jone as the beloved of two rivals: the Roman noble Glaucus and the Egyptian Arbace, high priest of Isis. Arbace plots to kill Glaucus, but his scheme fails. When Vesuvius erupts, Arbace is killed, and Jone and Glaucus escape.

Answer: Attila

Verdi (1813-1901) was probably the greatest Italian composer. He completed 25 operas, of which many arias are widely known. Brennus was chief of the Gallic tribe of the Senones. He besieged Rome in 387BC, but promised to retreat in exchange for a large quantity of gold. Legend tells he tampered with the scales on which the gold was weighed.

Genseric (389 AD-477 AD) was king of the tribe of the Vandals. He led the sacking of Rome in 455AD that gave the word "Vandal" the meaning of hooligans who destroy things for fun. Cleopatra VII (69BC-30 BC) was crowned Queen of Egypt in 51BC. She seduced Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. Her most striking aspect of beauty would have been her nose.

Verdi's opera "Attila" dates from 1846. The opera was named after the King of Huns, who died in 453 AD. Two important events in the life of Attila are the Battle of the Catalaunian Fields (451 AD) and his meeting with Pope Leo I in 452 AD. At the Catalaunian Fields, Attila confronted an army led by the Visigothic King Theodoric and the Roman general Flavius Aetius (396-454). Theodoric was killed during this battle, but Attila retreated. Pope Leo and Attila agreed in 452 AD that Attila would leave Italy, providing that the Pope would pay a yearly "protection fee".