SPQR - Res Publica Trivia Quiz

Answer: 509 B.C

In 509 B.C. the son of Etruscan king of Rome, Tarquinus Superbus, violated the wife of a prominent Roman aristocrat. Brutus, whose family had been persecuted by the Tarquins, rose to the opportunity and rallied the native Roman aristocrats and plebs against the foreign rulers.

The wars against the Etruscans were brutal, and constituted civil war in a sense, as many Romans chose to remain loyal to the Tarquins; amongst this number were Brutus' own two sons, whom he had executed under his very eyes in spite of the Senate's decision to spare their lives. Brutus too was to die before the Tarquins were decisively beaten.

Answer: consuls and praetors

In order to be exhaustive the list would have to include curule aediles, interrex and dictators.

Answer: Appius Claudius

The Claudian family were a dynasty of patricians dedicated to opposing the demands for reform eminating from the tribunes and the masses. They were originally foreigners, but had been welcomed in Rome and made citizens, senators and aristocrats because of their reputation for wise deliberation.

The tribunes and plebs of the time knew them as their greatest foes: well educated, well respected and thoroughly sure of themselves. The stories are probably propagandistic; half moral parable, half anti-Senatorial invention.

Answer: The treaty of alliance (signed 493 B.C.) between the Latin League and Rome.

The battle of Lake Regillus (496 B.C.) between the Romans and the Latin League ended in a draw. Both sides were being harrassed by the Aequi and Volsci. Spurius Cassius was the senator who drew up the treaty.

Answer: Capua

The Samnites were penetrating into Campania, which neighboured their rapidly expanding realm. The largest and richest city of the area, Capua, grew alarmed and prefering Romans to Samnites, offered control of their city to Rome. Rome could not resist such a rich prize in the heart of Campania, but she would have to fight dearly to keep her.

Answer: It was granted "civitas optimo iure".

Tusculum was to be the first municipium: its free male population was granted formal Roman citizenship although the town was a conquered Latin territory. It was an unheard of practice. But it was to be a landmark of Roman expansion throughout Italy and on.

Answer: Her ships entered the gulf of Tarentum.

Alexander of Epirus (uncle of Alexander III, the Great) was one of many Greeks who travelled to Italy (Magna Graecia) to help the Greek cities there against Rome and others. Alexander concluded a treaty with Rome in which the Senate promised that the Gulf would not be violated.

The Senate interpretted the treaty as expiring on Alexander's death (which was soon after the treaty was signed), and soon enough Roman shipping entered the Gulf. Tarentum then turned to the new ruler of Epirus for help.

Answer: As naval commander, he ignored the auspices and when the sacred chickens refused to eat (a sign the gods favoured Rome's navy) he said: Let them drink then and had them drown in the sea. His navy was crushed.

At the battle of Drepana, Pulcher lost 120 ships. Auspices or not, it was his poor skill as a naval tactician that cost him the day, although his superstitious troops probably didn't enjoy watching their sacred animals sink beneath the waves. Talk about morale-busters.

Answer: Hasdrubal

Rome's fate seemed to hang in the balance: Hannibal was entrenched, undefeated, in southern Italy and his brother was moving to join him from Spain, bringing reinforcements and supplies. The two consular armies were too small to separately face either Carthaginian army with any chance of success.

In a stunning march the consul Fabius slipped away from Hannibal in the South and quickly joined his consular ally in the North; where they managed to defeat Hasdrubal. His head was launched into Hannibal's campp days later.

Answer: The liberty of the Greek city states ensured by edict

Flamininus, a proconsul, annouced this decision at the Corinthian Games. There was widespread joy throughout Greece and he was worshipped as a god in some areas, the first Roman to be awarded such an honour.

Answer: 133 B.C.

By 133 B.C. the last of the Punic Wars had ended with the city of Carthage's destruction. Numantia, the last indepensent Celto-Iberian stronghold (in Spain) had recently fallen to Rome's legions: present at the siege were two men to shortly play quite a role in Roman history- Tiberius Gracchus (future tribune of the plebs and demagogue) and Jurgurtha of Numidia (whose future wars with Rome allowed Marius and Sulla to rise through the ranks). Also, Attalus of Pergamon bequeathed his state to the guidance of the Senate of Rome (Rome's first eastern territory). Sallust and many other commentators believed that the spirit of unity that Rome had more-or-less enjoyed during the Punic wars was now replaced with a spirit of class strife, greed and corruption now that Rome's Empire suddenly grew. 133 B.C. is the year that these commentators suggest was the begining of the end of the Republic.

In this year Gracchus was slain by a group of senators for challenging senatorial supremacy under the constitution, and the dangerous precedent of tribunes abusing their power to further their own personal ambition was firmly set.

Answer: Scipio Nasica, the Pontifex Maximus

After a horrified Scaevola refused to sully the sacred dignity of his consular office by participating or ordering the murder of a man protected by the tribunician right (a position equally sacred), the Pontifex Maximus Nasica rallied friends and slaves and struck before Gracchus' power could be further entrenched by a second term of office.
Lucius Opimius was the consul who sentenced Gracchus' brother Gaius to death for similar ambitions.

Answer: Senatus Consultum Ultimum

It was to be used several times, notably against Catalina (the man who would have set fire to Rome to rule its ashes) and Saturninus (a bloodthristy, corrupt tribune allied to Marius).

Answer: Optimates and Populares

The Optimates were the party of the Senate, dedicated to defending the Roman Constitution and traditional way of life.

The Populares were a mixed-bag of populist tribunes and the big-business equites; their goal: to overturn the Constitution and end the rule of the Senate.

Answer: the Second Latin War

Enough said.

Answer: Mithridates

He overwhelmed Asia Minor and then crossed into Greece and established his rule in Athens before being thrashed by Sulla.

Answer: True

Sulla's reforms were dedicated to ensure that military men and ambitious, populist politicians could not usurp governance of the Republic away from the Senate.

Answer: Sertorius

An interesting character, Sertorius paraded about with a white fawn who he used to awe his troops (largely native levies) by assuring them of its powers as a divine medium and oracle. He made hostages of many of the eldest sons of Spain, but educated them at a large school built for the purpose.

He also gathered together a "Senate" of noble followers. He succeeded in winning surprising and numerous victories against various Sullan generals, but gradually seemed to go mad so that his own men slew him.

Answer: Pompeius

Crassus, though an able general, was always passed over by the Senate in terms of glory: which was often lavished on Pompey. Perhaps it was for this reason that Crassus was willing to embark on such an audacious and undeclared war against Parthia.

Answer: Cicero

It was to be Cicero's crowning glory, when as Consul, his swift action exposed and routed a dangerous plot to overthrow the Republic.

Answer: Bibulus

The year was often named after the two consuls. In 59 B.C. the joke making the rounds in Rome was that this was the year of Julius and Caesar.

Answer: Alesia

Avaricum was a fortress Caesar captured earlier on, while Gergoiva was a victory for Vercingetorix. Bibracte was a Gallic fortress much like Avaricum and Alesia, but no great decisive battle was fought there.

Answer: Pompeius

Pompeius, despite his ambition and arrogance, had always been tied to the Senatorial Optimate Party. Caesar had ties to the old Marian faction, which advocated populist military dictatorship. Pompey, as the greatest Roman general of the time (or so it then seemed), and a recent political rival of Caesar's, was thus the natural choice to defend the Republic from assault.

Answer: Dyrrhachium

At Dyrrhachium Pompey outmanuevered and defeated Caesar in a long cat-and-mouse game of siege lines and counter-lines. Caesar had to retreat into Thessaly.

Answer: the Liberators

Because they slew the man who wished to see himself set up as sole ruler of Rome and her Empire, these great men were hailed as Liberators. Brutus and Cassius were often longingly refered to as "the last of the Romans" by the censored, fearful historians, philosophers and politicians of the Roman Principate and Dominate.