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Romans in Britain Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Romans in Britain Quizzes, Trivia

Romans in Britain Trivia

Romans in Britain Trivia Quizzes

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10 quizzes and 110 trivia questions.
1.
  Mapping Roman Britannia   great trivia quiz  
Label Quiz
 15 Qns
The Romans began their conquest of Britannia in 43 AD, and ruled the land as part of their empire until 410. Look at the map's legend and see if you can identify bodies of water, tribes, man made features, and settlements in Roman Britannia.
Average, 15 Qns, ponycargirl, Jun 04 23
Average
ponycargirl editor
Jun 04 23
266 plays
2.
  Ruled Britannia    
Fun Fill-It
 15 Qns
The Roman presence in Britain began in 43 AD and continued until the early 5th century. What do you know of the different Roman and British tribal leaders during this span of centuries?
Average, 15 Qns, reedy, Jun 16 23
Average
reedy gold member
Jun 16 23
158 plays
3.
  Tales of Britannia   great trivia quiz  
Match Quiz
 10 Qns
After the Romans conquered Britannia, a series of forts were constructed that eventually grew into urban centers. Can you match the Latin name of the city with its current name? The hints may help!
Easier, 10 Qns, ponycargirl, Dec 11 16
Easier
ponycargirl editor
421 plays
4.
  They called it Britannia    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
The province of Britannia was part of the Roman Empire for nearly 4 centuries. Needless to say, the Romans left their influence on the architecture and culture of Britain. This quiz will cover some of the Roman contributions, some of which still remain.
Average, 10 Qns, ncterp, Jul 17 23
Average
ncterp gold member
Jul 17 23
274 plays
5.
  An Ancient Battle for Britain   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Beginning in 43 AD, Roman armies engaged the ancient Britons. By 47 AD the Romans had completed their conquest of southern England. This quiz examines the differences between Roman and Celtic forces that virtually assured a Roman victory.
Tough, 10 Qns, uglybird, Aug 15 05
Tough
uglybird
2146 plays
6.
  Early Britain after the Romans    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Basically an easy quiz for the more learned (with a few possible tricky questions), but should be interesting and educational for your average person with interests in British History.
Tough, 10 Qns, Berkshire12, Aug 15 05
Tough
Berkshire12
2507 plays
7.
  Boudica's Rebellion   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A little quiz about the mighty woman who rebelled against the Romans in Britain.
Average, 10 Qns, achilles42, Dec 12 10
Average
achilles42
1096 plays
8.
  The Romans In Britain    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is the first in a series of quizzes on the Roman period in British History. It deals mainly with Caesar's two 'visits' to the island.
Difficult, 10 Qns, flem-ish, Feb 03 13
Difficult
flem-ish
2044 plays
9.
  Romans In Britain: Claudius    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
As Caesar's expedition to Britain had not really been a full success, it took nearly a century before the Romans made another attempt to conquer the 'white island' off the Gaulish coast.This quiz tests your knowledge about this 'second conquest'.
Tough, 10 Qns, flem-ish, Aug 15 05
Tough
flem-ish
1313 plays
10.
  Hadrian's Wall    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Hadrian's Wall is a World Heritage site that stretches across Northern England. In an effort to consolidate his territories and restore order in the problematic areas of the north the Emperor Hadrian had the Wall built.
Average, 10 Qns, topblue, Nov 24 10
Average
topblue
758 plays
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Romans in Britain Trivia Questions
1. The eastern end of Hadrian's Wall was originally Pont Aelius in Newcastle upon Tyne but it was later extended to Segedunum. What is the area around this fort is known as what today?

From Quiz Hadrian's Wall

Answer: Wallsend

Segedunum at Wallsend is still the gateway to the eastern end of the Wall. It is the most excavated fort on the wall and has an excellent museum and interpretation centre.

2. Which British tribe did Boudica belong to?

From Quiz Boudica's Rebellion

Answer: Iceni

The Iceni's territory was located in East Anglia. Boudica was the wife of Prasutagus, king of the Iceni.

3. By most accounts, in which year did the last Roman legions leave Britain?

From Quiz Early Britain after the Romans

Answer: 409 AD

It was 410 AD, that the people of Britain were told by the emperor Honorius that they would have to defend themselves -- Britain in essence discontinued to be part of the empire in 409 AD when the remaining troops had returned to Rome. The British were forced to defend and rule themselves without the military or monetary support of Rome from then on. It is likely that for some time afterwards a form of "Roman" government under Roman civilians continued in Britain.

4. When Caesar 'visited' Britain in 55 BC , he probably only wanted to teach the Celtic Tribes a lesson rather than to occupy the whole island. How long did he stay ?

From Quiz The Romans In Britain

Answer: till before winter.

He had first sent an explorer one Caius Volusenus. He then decided to send in two legions ( about 10,000 men). A fleet of warships sailed from Portus Itius (modern Boulogne) to near the cliffs of Dover. Transport ships with the cavalry were to follow some days later. Commius, an agent of Caesar's, a leader of the Atrebates, had been forced to negotiate for him with the locals. A storm caused damage to the warships that had been beached. Some of the transport ships that were still riding at anchor, were dashed one against another.The VIIth legion was attacked by surprise. Because the equinox was at hand Caesar decided to return and settle for a 'nominal peace treaty' with some of the British tribes. The treaty was sealed with the taking of hostages. In his own words: 'The ill condition of our ships made it inadvisable to postpone the return voyage until winter. Taking advantage of fair weather, we set sail a little after midnight, and the whole fleet reached the mainland in safety.'

5. Under what Roman Emperor was Britain first invaded in AD 43?

From Quiz They called it Britannia

Answer: Claudius

The invasion of Britain was one of the ways Claudius set out to prove himself worthy of the title of Emperor. A powerful anti-Roman party was gaining wider control of southern Britain. For Claudius, a successful invasion would bring glory, popularity and access to the considerable natural resources of Britain. The Romans believed that the gods had given them the right to conquer non-Roman peoples.

6. In 2003 a National Trail opened following the Wall as closely as possible; to complete the 84 miles (140 km) of the trail a walker passes through Newcastle upon Tyne and which other former Roman City in the North of England?

From Quiz Hadrian's Wall

Answer: Carlisle

For most of its length the National Trail wends its way through some of England's most stunning scenery, from the marshes of the Solway Firth to the Moorlands further east. The route also goes through Carlisle, an ancient and historic city which has stood between England and Scotland since Roman Times.

7. Who was the Roman governor of Britain at the time of the rebellion?

From Quiz Boudica's Rebellion

Answer: Suetonius Paulinus

The Roman governor in 60-1 AD was Suetonius Paulinus, and it was he who had to deal with the rebellion. Decianus Catus was his financial administrator, Julius Caesar had been dead for quite some time, and Trebellious Maximus is the man who replaced Suetonius.

8. What was a key reason why Rome could no longer help the British militarily?

From Quiz Early Britain after the Romans

Answer: The Goths attacked Rome

In 409 AD, Rome pulled its remaining legions back to Rome in an attempt to repel the assault on Rome by the Goths, led by Alaric. Emperor Honorius told the British in 410 AD to attend to their own affairs and thus they could not rely on assistance from Rome -- the letter from Honorius in 410 AD was a rejection of a plea to send soldiers to England.

9. Claudius had been born in Lugdunum in Gallia (10 BC), not in Rome. What modern French town developed out of Lugdunum?

From Quiz Romans In Britain: Claudius

Answer: Lyon

Lugdunum is now the French town of Lyon. Lug was the name of a Celtic deity. Claudius was born there in 10 BC. He became Emperor in 41 AD. He died in 54 AD.

10. The Romans fought and won two major battles in southern Britain under General Aulus Plautius. He established a garrison and sent word for Claudius to lead the final campaign. What did Claudius bring with him that all but assured a Roman victory?

From Quiz They called it Britannia

Answer: elephants

Claudius brought elephants with him, more specifically war elephants. Charging elephants were a formidable and terrifying sight, particularly to the Britons, who would not have seen them before.

11. In the 1991 film 'Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves' director Kevin Reynolds used a famous landmark on the Wall in his film. What is this landmark called?

From Quiz Hadrian's Wall

Answer: Sycamore Gap

The film used the famous tree at Sycamore Gap. It is now occasionally called 'The Robin Hood Tree'.

12. Name the two ancient historians who provided us with much of the information of Boudicca.

From Quiz Boudica's Rebellion

Answer: Tacitus and Dio Cassius

Herodotus and Xenophon were Greek historians who died long before Boudica's rebellion. Tacitus and Dio Cassius were both Roman historians with different biases; Tacitus was against the Roman imperial system and so portrayed Boudica in a positive light, while Dio Cassius was in favour of the imperial system, meaning that his works tended to play down the oppression faced by the Britons.

13. After the departure of the Roman forces, which ethnic groups took advantage of the evacuation and started settling in the East and South-East of the island?

From Quiz Early Britain after the Romans

Answer: Angles, Saxons and Jutes

Although the Saxons seem to have appeared first, eventually it was all three groups. The Angles, Saxons and Jutes came from modern day Denmark and surrounding area of the south shores of the North sea area. They spoke similar languages, which were related to modern German. By around 880 AD these languages were being regarded as a single language called Old English or Anglo-Saxon.

14. Caesar was familiar with some of the aspects of the Celtic way of life. One of them was the way in which warriors stain-patterned their faces. What was the plant that was used to produce those dyes?

From Quiz The Romans In Britain

Answer: woad

Weld or dyers rocket is reseda luteola, which does not give the indigo colour produced by woad. Logwood,sanderswood etc. are other natural dying stuffs. So are sumach tree leaves. See {www.net-link.net;rowan;crafts;woad;woadpage.html} {;} stand sfor {slash;} rowan should be preceded by a tilde.

15. In which Cumbrian Village does Hadrian's Wall end (in the west)?

From Quiz Hadrian's Wall

Answer: Bowness on Solway

Bowness on Solway is at the western end of what was the most northerly frontier of the Roman Empire after their withdrawal from Trimontium and the Antonine Wall. This village was built over the area where the Roman Fort of Maia was previously established. The Solway Firth is renowned for its diverse bird life.

16. Beginning in around the mid to late fifth century, many of the British went to a part of Gaul (France) called Armorica. In that region they eventually became the primary culture, and the region has long been known as _________.

From Quiz Early Britain after the Romans

Answer: Brittany

Brittany is the region in northwestern France where some of the descendants of the ancient British or Britons still live to this day.

17. What is the most complete Roman structure remaining in Britain?

From Quiz They called it Britannia

Answer: a lighthouse

The lighthouse, also known as the stone tower is in Dover (Dubris in Roman times). As the closest point to continental Europe it guided ships across the English Channel. Constructed during the 1st Century AD, the 8 sided lighthouse is one of only 3 Roman lighthouses to be found anywhere in the world (the other two are in Spain and Turkey).

18. Hadrian's Wall was 80 Roman miles long, but how long is it in modern miles? (Clue: a Roman Mile was 5,000 feet).

From Quiz Hadrian's Wall

Answer: 73 Miles

A Roman mile was the distance a Roman legion could march in 1,000 paces (equivalent to 2,000 steps). A modern mile is 5,280 feet and therefore longer than its Roman equivalent. From one end to the other Hadrian's Wall is 73 miles long. However, the National Trail is longer as it cannot follow the route of the Wall exactly.

19. In and around the 5th and 6th centuries AD, the remaining British that did not move across the channel to Armorica were eventually pushed into which areas?

From Quiz Early Britain after the Romans

Answer: Cornwall, Strathclyde, Cumbria and Wales

After a while Cornwall was assimilated into England, and Strathclyde was split between England and Scotland. Wales was eventually subdued as well, but has to this day retained a separate identity.

20. What was the name of the "British" capital of the Catavellauni, for the siege of which the Roman Emperor Claudius not only personally took command of the troops but also brought up 38 war elephants?

From Quiz Romans In Britain: Claudius

Answer: Camulodunum or present-day Colchester

Other important towns in Roman Britain were: Portus Lemanis (now Lympne) {;} Rutupiae {(Richborough);} Noviomagus {(Chichester);} and further inland: Deva {(Chester);} Eburacum (York). Londinium became the Roman capital a lot later.

21. One of the fighting-techniques of the Romans was the 'testudo' (tortoise-technique). What did it come down to?

From Quiz The Romans In Britain

Answer: the legionaries used a special formation which allowed them to have not only their sides and fronts protected but also their heads

Testudo refers to the head-protection of a tortoise. The other techniques were used by the Romans indeed, but are not a 'testudo'.

22. Apart from its museum and breathtaking views, the Housesteads fort in Northumberland is well known for what?

From Quiz Hadrian's Wall

Answer: Well-preserved communal latrine building.

Covering approximately 2 hectares Housesteads fort has many fine remains but surely the most popular are the communal latrines where soldiers could all 'go' together.

23. How many Roman legions were stationed in Britain at the time of the rebellion?

From Quiz Boudica's Rebellion

Answer: 4

There were 4 legions under the command of Suetonius Paulinus; the II, the IX, the XIV and the XX (for those who don't know the Roman numerals, the 2nd, 9th, 14th and the 20th).

24. Roman legions included variously equipped soldiers. The success in battle of the Roman army depended particularly on one group. Which component of the 1st century Roman army was most effective?

From Quiz An Ancient Battle for Britain

Answer: Armored infantry with short swords and javelins

Calvary or infantry charges against Roman infantry were subjected first to a withering barrage of javelins. As previously mentioned, short swords, armor and disciplined, tightly packed lines strongly favored the Romans once combatants closed with one another.

25. The origins of the word for Wales comes from the term the English used for the Britons, "Welsh." The derivative definition of the word "Welsh" means _________?

From Quiz Early Britain after the Romans

Answer: Foreigners

This is a term that the English used for the early Britons.

26. Strangely enough, the Romans made a pause and did not pursue the Celts immediately. Some believe they wanted to spare the Celtic leader Caratacus and to create some good-will for later negotiations. Where did Caratacus find a refuge?

From Quiz Romans In Britain: Claudius

Answer: Wales

The Romans had already won over some Celtic tribes to their cause. Among them the Brigantes, and their leader Cartimandua. The hill-folk of Wales however felt invulnerable and were confident that, in case of real need, they still could withdraw to what was, then, still an island unconnected to the main part of Britain: Anglesey.

27. After Hadrian's Wall, what are the most significant remaining Roman military monuments in Britain?

From Quiz They called it Britannia

Answer: The Saxon Shore Forts

Originally built to control shipping and trade (on both sides of the English Channel), and later for protection from invasion from Saxon raiders from across the North Sea, the eleven Saxon Shore Forts were constructed during the 3rd century AD.

28. Hadrian's Wall was built by Roman legionaries. These Romans belonged to the 2nd, 6th and 20th legions. How long is it thought that it took them to complete the Wall?

From Quiz Hadrian's Wall

Answer: 6 years

A Roman legion was an infantry unit consisting of heavily armed soldiers, called legionaries, equipped with shields, armour, helmets, spears and swords. The Emperor Hadrian had a total of 28 legions spread throughout the Empire. The men of the Roman Legions were skilled in building roads, buildings and roads. Engineers, stonemasons and blacksmiths played a vital role in the legions. Hadrian's Wall took about 6 years to complete.

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