Roman History for Experts Trivia

1. What is considered to be the traditional date of the founding of the Empire (The Principate)?

From Quiz The Roman Empire

Answer: 27 B.C.

On this date Octavianus received the sacral title of Augustus and adopted the title of Imperator Caesar Augustus divi filius. He was also considered Princeps Civitatis (the first of the citizens/senators), Pontifex Maximus (High Priest, a kind of forerunner of the Pope), Consul, Tribune of the people. All these titles singified that he was the undisputed ruler of the Rome, with powers above all the great political figures Rome had before. Strangely enough, in theory, Rome was still considered a Republic.

From Quiz Ancient Rome: How well do you know it?

Answer: Lucius Tarquinius Superbus

The last Roman king was Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. He reigned until the famous uprising that led to his disposal and establishment of the Roman Republic in 509 BC. Romulus Augustus was the last official Roman Emperor in the West. Julius Nepos was the emperor who reigned before Romulus. Servius Tullius was a Roman King, but not the last one.

From Quiz Roman Kings

Answer: Raid pirates and return stolen goods

Romulus and Remus indeed liked to raid pirates and return the stolen goods to their rightful owners. This led to them being ambushed by pirates, and Remus was taken to Alba Longa where he met his grandfather Numitor. Thereupon Romulus organized a force to rescue his brother and forced Amulius to abdicate and restored Numitor to the throne. From there they set off to found their own city. (Obviously, this is myth, not history).

From Quiz The Late Roman Republic

Answer: Tiberius

The Gracchi family were very distinguished, and not normally very reformist. Their grandfather (also Tiberius) led an army in the punic wars, was two times consul, and was "Master of the Horse," which is second in command to a dictator; an enormous honour. His father (Again, also Tiberius), was censor, and was awarded two triumphs; a great honour.

From Quiz Roman Legions Quiz

Answer: Only legion in Senate Province

The III Augusta was the only legion of Rome at that time which was controled by the Senate. All others were placed in territories directly under the Emperor's control.

From Quiz Army of the Early Roman Empire

Answer: Legatus legionis

The legion under the empire was commanded by a legatus legionis. Under the Republic a legate could be of almost any age, background or seniority. But under the more nepotistic system of the empire, most appointees had already worked their way through the Roman magisterial ranks and had been praetors (senior magistrates). This kind of background became the norm, thus making the legateship of a legion a definite step forward in the Roman hierarchy. The post of legate was held for about three years and generally led, at the end of tenure, to the governorship of a small province.

From Quiz Ranks and Terms of the Roman Legion

Answer: Accensi

The Accensi (as described by Livy) were the light armed troops of the middle period of the Roman Republic. Later this term term was used to denote soldiers' servants and non-combatant personnel in general.

From Quiz The Roman Empire VII

Answer: December, 211

Following Geta's assassination, Caracalla issued a "damnatio memoriae" and ordered his name to be removed from all inscriptions. Caracalla also used this opportunity to proclaim proscriptions against his enemies claiming that they had formed a conspiracy with his murdered brother.

From Quiz Ancient Roman History II

Answer: Plebeians

Plebeians, or plebs, were basically made up of people who were not part of the patrician ranks, or the higher classes.

From Quiz The Roman Empire III

Answer: There were rumours that he could heal the blind and crippled with his touch

It gave him great popularity with the poor masses because they liked mysticism a lot.

From Quiz The Roman Empire II

Answer: behind the curtains

After finding him, he was proclaimed emperor although he didn't want it. The confirmation of the Senate was quick as well as of all the other institutions.

From Quiz Roman History from Augustus to Constantine

Answer: Augustus

The legendary Romulus was the first ruler of Rome, circa 753 B.C.E., and he was not an Emperor but a king. Many mistakenly think that Julius Caesar became the first Emperor but he never put on the purple. Caligula was the third Emperor (we'll get to him later)

From Quiz Rome: Augustus to Marcus Aurelius

Answer: Claudius

Claudius reigned for 13 years and proved to be a very good general. He invaded Britain and died in 54 AD.

From Quiz Rome Before the Punic Wars

Answer: Pyrrhus of Epirus

He was king of the Epirotes and had recently lost the kingdom of Macedon when the Tarentines called upon him to protect him from the invading Romans.

From Quiz History of the Earlier Republic

Answer: Silva Arsia

All of these locations were locations of battles. Aricia is where the Latins and Cumae defeated Arruns, the son of Lars Porsenna. Lake Regillus is where the Romans defeated Mamilius Octavius. Algidus Pass is where the Aequi were deposed from Mt. Algidus.

From Quiz The Mysterious Etruscans

Answer: Rasenna

The Kemet (the "people of the black soil") were the Egyptians. A Pelasgian was a generic Greek term for a prehistoric person and/or a foreign person. The Rutuli were a tribe of ancient Latium whose king, Turnus, was defeated by Aeneas. Rasenna, according to Dionysius, was the eponym by which the Etruscans described themselves.

From Quiz Roman Imperialism under the Republic

Answer: First Punic War

It was indeed in the First Punic War (264-241BC) that Roman soldiers first fought overseas. Depending on how your describe 'overseas' this would either be their invasion of Sicily or Regulus' assault on North Africa in 256-5 BC.

From Quiz Ancient Rome

Answer: Lorica Squamata

Scale armour was one of the oldest metal defences known to man and the Romans used it for some eight centuries or more. Its inspiration obviously comes probably from the appearance of fish scales or possibly from an animal called the Pangolin. Scale armour was cheaper to produce than mail or plate armour and was easily maintained by the soldier himself. In this form scale armour lasted in Europe until well into the Middle Ages and until the late 19th century in the East.

From Quiz The Roman Monarchy

Answer: 753 B.C.

Romulus and Remus argued about who would be the first king of their new city and who should name it. When Romulus cut the new city in half, Remus crossed the boundary therefore defying the gods, so Romulus was justified in killing Remus and named Rome after himself. (This of course is a matter of mythology, not history).

From Quiz Fall of Roman Republic

Answer: Senatorial class

Sulla transferred power over the courts to the Senate and nullified many tribunician powers.

From Quiz SPQR - Res Publica

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.

From Quiz Later Roman Empire

Answer: Fronto

Many of Fronto and Marcus Aurelius' letters survive today which discuss the maxims of oratory and Stoic {philosophy;} they also include sharp invective against the Christians.

From Quiz Miscellanea Romana

Answer: Curing headaches

See A. Richlin, 'Pliny's Brassiere' in J. P. Hallett and M. B. Skinner, eds. 'Roman Sexualities' (1997), pp. 197-220.

From Quiz The Roman Empire

Answer: The Battle of Teutoburg Forest

The Germanic tribes of the Cherusci, led by Arminus, inflicted a devastating defeat on the three Roman legions commanded by Quintilius Varus. This defeat determined Octavianus Augustus to instate the so called "Pax Romana", deciding to focus on the defense of the Roman borders, instead of the expansion of the Empire.

From Quiz Ancient Rome: How well do you know it?

Answer: Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus

Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus were actually the leaders of the uprising in 509 BC and thus the first consuls.

From Quiz Roman Kings

Answer: Vultures flying overhead would indicate the right brother

When the two were debating they agreed that whoever saw the most vultures flying overhead would decide where to site the city. Romulus claimed to have seen more and immediatly started laying foundations which angered Remus and led to him leaping over the foundations laid by Romulus. This in turn angered Romulus and he killed his brother on the spot. The other choices seem plausible omens but they weren't the ones that the two brothers agreed on.

From Quiz Incident on the Appian Way

Answer: Clodius.

Milo was a praetor, and was trying to become consul - the highest political post in Rome. Unfortunately, the fallout from this incident ensured that nether man would hold office again.

From Quiz The Late Roman Republic

Answer: Venus

Interestingly, Caesar, nephew of his nemesis (Gaius Marius), also claimed special favour from the same god. How fickle love is! Many famous Roman generals used supposed favour from the gods to encourage their troops. Scipio Africanus talked his troops into an audacious plan by saying the whole thing had been shown to him in a dream sent by Neptune.

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