Who's Who: More Ancient People Quiz

Answer: Hannibal

During the Second Punic War, the Carthaginian general, Hannibal, led his war elephants over the Alps in order to attack Rome. It might have been a good idea, but it didn't work! For sixteen years Hannibal and his army tried unsuccessfully to take the city of Rome. The Carthaginians were finally defeated in North Africa at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC.

Answer: Ramses II

During his long reign as pharaoh, Ramses II became known as a great builder, rebuilding many existing structures in ancient Egypt, and adding new ones as well. Abu Simbel was located in southern Egypt, and the entrance to the temple was decorated with four gigantic statues of the pharaoh himself! Ramses ruled Egypt for approximately sixty-six years, and lived to be about ninety years old.

Answer: Attila

Attila the Hun led a coalition of peoples, perhaps with an army as large as 200,000, against the Roman Empire in 451. His reputation for killing preceded him, as the "Scourge of God" struck terror in the hearts of all. While the Huns were defeated at the Battle of Chalons in 451, they were still in northern Italy until Attila had a meeting with Pope Leo I. No one knows what happened at the meeting, but after that he did leave Italy. About a year later Attila died; historians still debate the cause of his death, but some say it was a simple nosebleed.

Answer: Sun Tzu

Very little is known about the early life of Sun Tzu; his book, however, has been studied by soldiers throughout history. First translated into English in 1905, the book was written in China in the 5th century BC. It has been said that Douglas MacArthur consulted the book during World War II, and so did Mao Zedong during the Communist Revolution. Sun Tzu, whose name translates to "Master Sun", advised, "He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight".

Answer: Moses

Moses is a well-known Biblical figure, who led the Hebrews out of Egyptian slavery, and parted the Red Sea so that they could escape pharaoh's army. After leaving Egypt, Moses also went to Mt. Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments from God. He is an important prophet in all three monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - which were founded on a belief in one God.

Answer: Akhenaten

During the time in which he was an 18th Dynasty pharaoh, Akhenaten decided to do away with all of the gods the ancient Egyptians worshiped - except for one. His only god, Aten, represented the disc of the sun. This change was very unpopular with the people, and it is believed that quickly after Akhenaten's death, the old religious beliefs were reinstated by his successor, and son, Tutankhamen.

Answer: Ashoka

Also called Ashoka the Great, the Indian emperor ruled a vast empire; after participating in an especially devastating battle called Kalinga, Ashoka adopted Buddhism as the state religion of his empire, led a life of non-violence, and followed the principals of "dharma", which means "duty or proper behavior".

He focused on the proper treatment of both people and animals, built hospitals, irrigation systems, and wells, promoting peace and trade throughout his empire.

Answer: Sargon of Akkad

Sargon of Akkad, who is also known as Sargon the Great, led an Akkadian army that conquered the ancient Sumerian city-states in Mesopotamia. Afterwards, he united them all into the world's first empire. It is believed that his actions influenced future kings in Mesopotamia for thousands of years after his death. Luckily, Sargon's conquests were not so devastating as to wipe out the cultural advancements that had been made by the Sumerians, most notably adopting the cuneiform writing that had been invented there.

Answer: Paul

Once a rabbi and persecutor of Christians, Paul underwent a dramatic conversion while on the road to Damascus. After that he traveled and preached among the Jews and Gentiles, or non-Jews, establishing groups of people who had accepted Christianity. Writing letters to keep on touch with his many congregations, he answered questions and interpreted the teachings of Christ.

It is believed that he wrote fourteen books in the New Testament, including Romans, Ephesians, and Galatians.

Answer: Lao-Tzu

An ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao-Tzu is believed to be the writer of "Tao Te Ching", or "The Way of Virtue". Those who practice Taoism believe that they should live in harmony with "the Way", which is the underlying force of the universe and everything that exists. Taoists believe that there are certain rules and guidelines for living, and that they should lead a good life, obey their elders, practice self-control, and be tolerant of others.