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Davis Lindsey Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Davis Lindsey Quizzes, Trivia

Lindsey Davis Trivia

Lindsey Davis Trivia Quizzes

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Lindsey Davis's love of archaeology led her to the writing of historical fiction. She is best known for the series of mysteries set in ancient Rome during the reign of the emperor Vespasian, featuring Marcus Didius Falco.
4 Lindsey Davis quizzes and 55 Lindsey Davis trivia questions.
1.
  My First Falco Quiz   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is the first in a series of quizzes about Lindsey Davis's mystery stories set in the first century AD Roman Empire and featuring Marcus Didius Falco. It covers the first two books, "The Silver Pigs" and "Shadows in Bronze".
Average, 10 Qns, bingleyausten, May 03 08
Average
bingleyausten
349 plays
2.
  My Second Falco Quiz   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
This quiz is based on Lindsey Davis's three Falco novels in the omnibus volume "Falco On His Metal": "Venus in Copper", "The Iron Hand of Mars", and "Poseidon's Gold".
Tough, 15 Qns, bingleyausten, May 03 08
Tough
bingleyausten
254 plays
3.
  My Fourth Falco Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
This quiz covers the three Falco novels with a countdown in their titles: "Three Hands In the Fountain", "Two For the Lions", and "One Virgin Too Many".
Tough, 15 Qns, bingleyausten, Jun 03 20
Tough
bingleyausten
Jun 03 20
211 plays
4.
  My Third Falco Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
This one covers the three novels in "Falco on the Loose", Lindsey Davis's second Falco omnibus volume, containing "Last Act in Palmyra", "Time To Depart", and "A Dying Light in Cordoba".
Tough, 15 Qns, bingleyausten, May 03 08
Tough
bingleyausten
193 plays
trivia question Quick Question
In "Time to Depart", what kind of establishment is Plato's Academy?

From Quiz "My Third Falco Quiz"




Related Topics
  Historical Fiction [Literature] (6 quizzes)

  Mystery & Detective Fiction [Literature] (105 quizzes)


Lindsey Davis Trivia Questions
1. At the end of "A Dying Light in Corduba", Helena Justina gave birth to a baby girl. We don't find out her name till the beginning of "Three Hands in the Fountain". What was the baby called?

From Quiz My Fourth Falco Quiz

Answer: Julia Junilla Laeitana

She was called Julia Junilla Laeitana after her maternal grandmother (Julia Justa), her paternal grandmother (Junilla Tacita), and the wine produced around Barcino (Laeitana), where she was born.

2. In "Last Act in Palmyra", what instrument does Sophrona play?

From Quiz My Third Falco Quiz

Answer: Water organ

The water organ was invented by Ctesibius of Alexandria and was very popular in Nero's reign. A light touch on the keys was enough to pump water into the pipes compressing the air and producing sound.

3. Severina Zotica was widowed three times. Put the alleged causes of death of her husbands in the correct order.

From Quiz My Second Falco Quiz

Answer: Heart attack, choked on a lozenge, mauled by a panther

Severus Moscus, her first husband, is said to have died of a heart attack brought on by heatstroke after sitting out in the sun for too long watching a gladiator show. Eprius, her second husband, was an apothecary and is said to have choked on a cough lozenge. Grittius Fronto, her third husband, was a wild animal importer who is said to have been mauled to death by a panther destined for the arena which was let out of its cage too early. Not surprisingly, the friends of Severina's latest fiance are a trifle nervous.

4. Who is emperor at the time of the books?

From Quiz My First Falco Quiz

Answer: Vespasian

When the first book, "The Silver Pigs", opens Vespasian had been emperor for less than a year. Nero had been dead for just two years. Titus and Domitian were Vespasian's sons.

5. Why had Petronius been suspended from the vigiles before the beginning of "Three Hands in the Fountain"?

From Quiz My Fourth Falco Quiz

Answer: He was sleeping with a gangster's daughter.

He was sleeping with Balbina Milvia, the daughter of the gangster featured in "Time to Depart". When Petronius's wife found out she reported him to his superiors.

6. What cover story do Falco and Helena Justina use to explain Musa's presence, in "Last Act in Palmyra"?

From Quiz My Third Falco Quiz

Answer: He is their intepreter.

In fact, Musa had been assigned by The Brother, the Chief Minister of Nabatea, to keep an eye on Falco, who The Brother suspected of being a Roman spy.

7. In "Venus in Copper" what did Helena Justina's father contribute towards the furnishing of Falco's new apartment?

From Quiz My Second Falco Quiz

Answer: A reading couch

Camillus Verus contributed a reading couch, though as Falco realised, a reading couch can be used for other purposes. The other contributions came from Falco's sisters: Junia, whose husband actually has a paying job, provided the bed; Galla provided a broken chair, which Falco tries to mend, though he knows Gallia will want it back if he does mend it; Maia provided some oil for the lamps.

8. Which legion did Falco and his friend Petronius serve with in Britain during Boudicca's revolt?

From Quiz My First Falco Quiz

Answer: II Augusta

The IX Hispana was defeated and annihilated by Boudicca and her Iceni near Colchester. It was a combined force of the XIV Gemina and XX Valeria Victrix legions which finally defeated Boudicca. To the embarrassment and shame of Falco and Petronius, their legion, II Augusta, was kept in its camp by its commander and not allowed to come to the other legions' assistance.

9. Which Roman writer, some of whose works still survive, does Falco work with in "Three Hands in the Fountain"?

From Quiz My Fourth Falco Quiz

Answer: Frontinus

Two of Sextus Julius Frontinus's works, one on military strategy and one on aqueducts, survive, as do fragments of a work on surveying. Marcus Vitruvius Pollio wrote a work on architecture which still survives. Gaius Plinius Secundus (Pliny the Elder) wrote a book on natural history which still survives, as does a collection of letters to and from his nephew Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (Pliny the Younger).

10. In "Last Act in Palmyra", which play by Aristophanes is in the theatrical company's repertoire?

From Quiz My Third Falco Quiz

Answer: The Birds

We get the expression "Cloudcuckoo Land" from "The Birds". Everybody had to play a part: Helena Justina played a dabchick, and Falco played an informer.

11. What did Titus, the emperor's son, give Falco in "Venus in Copper"?

From Quiz My Second Falco Quiz

Answer: A fish

It was no ordinary fish, it was a turbot: a fish bigger than an adult human being. If you caught one it was customary to present it to the emperor. Falco throws a house warming party to celebrate his new apartment and for his family and Petronius's family to eat the turbot. Romantic and social disaster looms. Helena Justina appears at the party, and realises she hasn't been invited. Then Titus turns up to sample the turbot as well.

12. Falco is obviously a private eye, but that's not what he calls himself. What does he call his job?

From Quiz My First Falco Quiz

Answer: A private informer

If you answered 'finder' you're thinking of Steven Saylor's "Gordianus" books. The Latin word for 'informer' is 'delator'.

13. Bolanus, the engineer's assistant who acts as Falco's technical adviser on the water system in "Three Hands in the Fountain", estimated the output of one of the aqueducts in Rome at how many cubic feet per day?

From Quiz My Fourth Falco Quiz

Answer: 7,000,000

This was from the Aqua Claudia, one of the big four aqueducts in Rome. There were another five smaller aqueducts as well.

14. How did Helena Justina nearly die in "Last Act in Palmyra"?

From Quiz My Third Falco Quiz

Answer: From a scorpion sting

Fortunately Thalia, who had been looking for Falco, arrived with some mithradatium, a universal antidote.

15. Who killed the cook Viridovix?

From Quiz My Second Falco Quiz

Answer: Falco

It was an accident. Falco unknowingly added poisoned spices to Viridovix's wine. The poison had been meant for Hortensius Novus, who never got to try the poisoned spices because he had already been poisoned from another source.

16. What two metals are produced in the mine where Falco works undercover in "The Silver Pigs"?

From Quiz My First Falco Quiz

Answer: lead and silver

The embezzled ingots Falco steals and buries are real ones which were found buried under a cairn. See: http://www.romans-in-britain.org.uk/raw_mining.htm

17. The serial killer in "Three Hands in the Fountain" abducted a woman near the end of the book and would have killed her if he hadn't been caught. Who?

From Quiz My Fourth Falco Quiz

Answer: Cornella Flacida

Falco thought Claudia Rufina had been kidnapped but in fact she had eloped with Helena Justina's brother Justinus. Marina, Falco's late brother's girlfriend, lived in the area where the killer's victims were abducted. Helena Justina and Falco's sister Maia had toyed with the idea of acting as decoys at one point.

18. Although Marcus Didius Falco's play "The Spook That Spoke" has been lost, it must presumably have survived down to Elizabethan and Jacobean times. Which of Shakespeare's plays seems to have been influenced by it?

From Quiz My Third Falco Quiz

Answer: Hamlet

According to "Last Act in Palmyra", the only known performance of "The Spook That Spoke" was in the amphitheatre of the Roman garrison outside Palmyra. The performance of the play was interrupted by a duel between Falco and the murderer of Heliodorus and Ione.

19. What was the parrot Falco took off Severina Zotica's hands to give to Helena Justina called?

From Quiz My Second Falco Quiz

Answer: Chloe

The parrot kept calling Cerinthus's name. Tyche was the fortune teller. Anthea was the kitchen skivvy, possibly Viridovix's girlfriend.

20. Falco has a birthday in "The Silver Pigs". Which birthday is it?

From Quiz My First Falco Quiz

Answer: His thirtieth

If she'd known it was his birthday, Helena Justina would have bought him a tipsy cake. But she does give him a good night kiss.

21. How was Leonidas killed in "Two For the Lions"?

From Quiz My Fourth Falco Quiz

Answer: He was speared.

Leonidas was Calliopus's lion used for the execution of criminals in the arena. He was speared after being taken to a private show in mistake for Draco, a lion that was going to be used for beast fights. Falco assumes that Leonidas will be recycled by being fed to Draco. One of Calliopus's ostriches was poisoned.

22. In "Time to Depart", what kind of establishment is Plato's Academy?

From Quiz My Third Falco Quiz

Answer: A brothel

It is also known as The Bower of Venus. It was most unfortunate that as Falco and Petronius were leaving Plato's Academy after questioning the madam, they met Falco's mum in the street outside. She naturally assumed the worst.

23. In "The Iron Hand of Mars", why did Helena Justina want Falco to postpone his trip to Veii?

From Quiz My Second Falco Quiz

Answer: Because it was her birthday.

Of course, Falco didn't know it was her birthday. He had asked her when her birthday was but she didn't answer the question. She decided to leave Rome because Falco went to Veii. She didn't turn up for the dinner with Titus.

24. Who does the spice warehouse belong to?

From Quiz My First Falco Quiz

Answer: Caprenius Marcellus

The warehouse actually belongs to Caprenius Marcellus, but is used for the spice importing business of his adopted son, Atius Pertinax, Helena Justina's ex-husband. Atius Pertinax leaves the contents of the warehouse to her in his will. Publius Camillus Meto, Helena Justina's uncle, is killed at the warehouse.

25. Who saved Falco from the leopardess in "Two For the Lions"?

From Quiz My Fourth Falco Quiz

Answer: Thalia

The leopardess belonged to Saturninus, and had been let out by the henchmen of Calliopus, a rival of Saturninus's in the wild animal importing and training business. Falco was getting information from Famia, his brother-in-law, when they were told that the leopardess was loose. Geminus, Falco's father, got in the way and spoiled the attempt to herd the leopardess into the Saepta Julia where it would be easier to trap her. Thalia saved Falco after the leopardess swiped him in the Augustan baths, knocking him against a hot water pipe and burning his arm. Thalia is one of my favourite characters. It's always good to see her again.

26. What is the relationship between Alexander, Nonnius Albius's doctor, and Scythax, the doctor assigned to Petronius's squad, in "Time to Depart"?

From Quiz My Third Falco Quiz

Answer: They are brothers.

At Petronius's suggestion, Alexander told Nonnius Albius he was dying so that he would agree to testify against Balbinus Pius and be able to retire as an underworld enforcer. Nonnius Albius pretended to go along with this because he wanted to take over Balbinus Pius's crime empire.

27. Which legion does Vespasian ask Falco to investigate in "The Iron Hand of Mars"?

From Quiz My Second Falco Quiz

Answer: XIV Gemina

The fort at Moguntiacum is a double one, shared by two legions, the XIV Gemina and I Adiutrix, the legion with which Camillus Justinus, one of Helena Justina's brothers is serving. Vespasian wants to know if he can trust the XIV Gemina in Moguntiacum or whether they should be sent to Britain. The II Augusta was Falco's old legion. Because of events during the Great Rebellion in Britain, there is bad blood between the XIV Gemina and II Augusta. The IV Macedonia, despite its name, was originally from Moguntiacum. It joined the Gallic federation Civilis tried to start.

28. As a cover in "Shadows in Bronze", Falco goes on a seaside holiday to Pompeii and nearby towns with his friend Petronius and Petronius's family. How many people are there in the party?

From Quiz My First Falco Quiz

Answer: 8

Falco, his nephew Larius, Petronius, Petronius's wife Arria Silvia, their three daughters, and their neighbour Ollia, who is being trained as a nursery maid, makes eight.

29. Justinus, Helena Justina's brother, eloped with Claudia Rufina at the end of "Three Hands in the Fountain". In "Two For the Lions" we find out that they went to North Africa. What was Justinus hoping to find there?

From Quiz My Fourth Falco Quiz

Answer: A plant

He was looking for silphium, a plant used as a flavouring which the wealthy would pay huge sums for, but which was believed by most people to be now extinct.

30. On surveillance, Falco saw Helena Justina going into a brothel. Why? ("Time to Depart")

From Quiz My Third Falco Quiz

Answer: To ransom Falco's kidnapped niece

Falco was horrified because his brother-in-law, Famia, had told him Helena Justina was thinking of getting rid of the baby she was carrying and a brothel was a good place to get an abortion (obviously a service prostitutes would need in the days before birth control). Unfortunately, the kidnappers had mislaid Tertulla, Falco's niece so they couldn't give her back. Searching the brothel, Helena Justina seems to have found out more than she really wanted to know.

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