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The Roman Empire IX Trivia Quiz

The Era of the Barracks Emperors continues...Good luck and enjoy the quiz!

A multiple-choice quiz by Kserkso. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Kserkso

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
295,075

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
316

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Decius, before killing Philip the Arab, was appointed by the latter to defeat a certain usurper on the Danube before he was proclaimed emperor by his own legions. What was the name of that infamous claimant and usurper? Hint

Jotapian

Pacantius

Silbannacus

Sponsianus

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Question 2 of 10

2. Decius' political program was focused on the restoration of the strength of the State, both military and religiously. What particular senate office did he try to restore? Hint

censor

questor

propraetor

aedile

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Question 3 of 10

3. Decius was the first emperor who is definitely known to have died in battle while confronting barbarians.

True

False

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Question 4 of 10

4. Decius saw that the Christians were becoming a big problem winning over more and more people to their cause. That way visits and ceremonies to the pagan temples were declining, thus reducing the amount of money people paid to take part in ceremonies in honor of the gods. But instead of persecuting them, he offered them shelter and let them practice their confession publicly thus gaining even more income through their ceremonies.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. In 251, Decius was succeeded by his trusted right-hand man, Trebonianus Gallus. However, Decius' surviving son Hostilian was proclaimed emperor in Rome. They made a pact about co-ruling. But luck smiled upon Gallus, and Hostilian died the same year. What happened to him? Hint

He was killed by Gallus' fanatic supporters.

He died of the plague.

He fell down the stairs.

He ate some poisonous mushrooms.

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which pope did Gallus imprison? Hint

Marcelus I

Anacletus

Cornelius

Sixtus I

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Question 7 of 10

7. Gallus was unpopular with the army having lost Syria to the Persians and signing a shameful treaty with the Goths. General Aemilianus marched against him. Gallus and his son were killed and Aemilianus got the title of Augustus. However, Valerian, Gallus' friend, marched against Aemilianus. Which provinces did Valerian govern before marching on Rome? Hint

Rhine provinces

Moesia provences

Danube provinces

Noric provinces

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Question 8 of 10

8. Valerian's first move was nominating his son __________ co-emperor.

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 9 of 10

9. Valerian and Gallienus split the problems of the empire between each other, with the son taking the East to face the Persian threat and the father heading West to restore order.

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. Valerian's end is still debated. Lactantius, an early Christian historian, informs us that the emperor, after being captured by Persians, was exposed to public humiliation such as being spat at and being used as a human footstool for Shapur while the king was mounting his horse. By Lactantius' account, how did Valerian die? Hint

He was burnt alive.

He was skinned alive and his skin stuffed with straw .

His limbs were cut of and attached to his buttocks.

They poured gold in his mouth until he died.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Pacantius

Pacantius proclaimed himself emperor but was murdered by his own soldiers after realizing they stood no chance against Decius. The other three were also usurpers in the reign of Philip but only Pacantius met his doom at the hands of Decius. The existence of Silbannacus and Sponsianus is even questioned.

2. Decius' political program was focused on the restoration of the strength of the State, both military and religiously. What particular senate office did he try to restore?

Answer: censor

The office was offered to Valerian, the future emperor, but he declined it knowing what difficulties such a job would bear. After Decius' death, the idea perished.

3. Decius was the first emperor who is definitely known to have died in battle while confronting barbarians.

Answer: True

There is a debate about whether Gordian III was the first to die in combat. However circumstances surrounding his death are unclear and there is suspicion that he was killed in a conspiracy by Phillippus. Furthermore, if he really met his end in battle, it were not barbarians he was fighting against, but the Sassanid Empire.

Answer: False

Just the opposite! Decius was a Roman of the old style who wanted Rome to return to ancient glory and to do so, all Romans had to embrace paganism. He was one of the most atrocious Christian persecutors of all time.

Answer: He died of the plague.

While Gallus was heading towards Rome, an outbreak of plague struck the city and killed young Hostilian thus letting Gallus nominate his son Volusianus co-emperor.

6. Which pope did Gallus imprison?

Answer: Cornelius

Gallus is often accused of persecuting Christians, but the only solid evidence of this claiming is the imprisonment of Pope Cornelius in 252.

Answer: Rhine provinces

When the two armies faced each other near Spoletium, Aemilianus, like Gallus before him, was assassinated by his own troops when they saw Valerian's army would be impossible to beat.

8. Valerian's first move was nominating his son __________ co-emperor.

Answer: Gallienus

Although he was victorious, his reign begun with the West falling into disorder; and in the East, Antioch had fallen into the hands of the Sassanid vassal, Armenia.

9. Valerian and Gallienus split the problems of the empire between each other, with the son taking the East to face the Persian threat and the father heading West to restore order.

Answer: False

Actually, it was Valerian heading eastwards and Gallienus who went to restore order in the West.

Answer: He was skinned alive and his skin stuffed with straw .

Yet, bome modern scholars believe that, contrary to Lactantius' account, Shapur I sent Valerian and some of his army to the city of Bishapur where they lived in relatively good conditions. To be continued...

Source: Author Kserkso

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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