Syria: Fact or Fiction Trivia Quiz

Answer: Fact

Masyaf Castle is a real castle located in the northwest corner of Syria in the city of the same name. It is famous for being the home of a group of Assassins who were led by a man named Rashid ad-Din Sinan (1131-1193). The castle and the Assassins themselves would serve as the inspiration for Ubisoft's video game "Assassin's Creed" which was released for multiple systems in 2007.

The castle serves as the home of the Assassins in the game. Syria's capital, Damascus, also plays a significant role in the game.

Answer: Fact

During the 13th century, the Mongol empire, led by the Genghis Khan and his descendants, managed to take over much of Asia and even made advancements into Eastern Europe. During that time, the Mongols led several invasions of the Levant, the land where Syria currently exists.

The Levant was first invaded by the Mongols in 1260. Resistance groups managed to push them back several times, but the Mongols returned and recaptured the region. In 1312, the Mongols were finally driven out of the Levant for the last time.

Answer: Fact

Mount Hermon is located in the southwest corner of Syria along the border between it and Lebanon. It also sits close to the Golan Heights, a region which was claimed by Israel following the Six-Day War in 1967. Mount Hermon is the highest point in Syria with an elevation of approximately 9,200 ft (2,800 m).

The mountain is considered a sacred location for all three of the major Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam).

Answer: Fact

The Umayyad Mosque is located in Damascus. It is one of the oldest mosques in the world having been constructed early in the 8th century. It is considered a holy site not only for Muslims, but for Christians as well. The mosque is one of several sites that claim to have housed the head of John the Baptist. One of the mosque's minarets is named the Minaret of Isa, which is the Islamic name for Jesus Christ. Though Muslims do not consider Jesus the son of God, he is an important figure in the Islamic religion.

Answer: Fact

Harry Abdul, father of pop star Paula Abdul, was born in the city of Aleppo, Syria in 1934. Harry Abdul left Syria with his family and lived in Brazil before immigrating to the United States. Even though he was born in Syria, Harry Abdul practiced Judaism. Aleppo is located in the northwestern corner of Syria and is the country's second largest city behind Damascus. Harry Abdul passed away in 2019 at age 85 following a battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Answer: Fiction

With an approximate length of 440 mi (710 km) within the nation, the Euphrates is the longest river in Syria, not the Tigris. The Euphrates originates from the mountains of Türkiye in the north. It flows through Syria and exits to the southeast where it continues through Iraq towards the Persian Gulf.

The Tigris forms only a tiny portion of Syria's border with Türkiye and Iraq in the far northeast corner of the country. Both the Tigris and Euphrates are important rivers in history as they are known as one of the "Cradles of Civilization".

Answer: Fiction

This statement was made up. Abu'l Nuqoud was one of the main targets of Altair in the original "Assassin's Creed" video game. The historical portion of the game takes place during the Third Crusade (1189-1192). Abu'l Nuqoud is encountered during Altair's second trip to the city of Damascus.

He was a member of the Templar Order who was also known as the "merchant king". Abu'l Nuqoud held a banquet at his palace, where he poisoned the attendees before he was eventually taken out by Altair.

Answer: Fiction

Bashar al-Assad is an important figure in the Syrian government, but his title and the year he was elected are inaccurate. He was first elected President (not Prime Minister) of Syria on June 10, 2000 by the Syrian Parliament following the death of his father Hafez al-Assad.

He was re-elected for a fourth term in 2021. Bashar al-Assad has been perceived as an authoritarian ruler. He received more than 90 percent of the vote in each of his elections (2000, 2007, 2014 and 2021) despite continued social and political unrest within the country.

Answer: Fiction

This statement is false. October 3, 1932 is the date that Syria's neighbor Iraq declared itself independent of Great Britain. Syria attempted to become independent in 1920 during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. However, both Syria and Lebanon would become mandate nations under French jurisdiction as was declared by the League of Nations following World War I. Syria's independence was formally recognized on April 17, 1946, when the last French troops left the country.

Answer: Fiction

This statement is fictional. Madrasah Al-Kallasah was a building featured in the original "Assassin's Creed". There is no evidence that it existed in real life. In the game, Madrasah Al-Kallasah was visited during Altair's third visit to the city of Damascus in 1191.

His main target there was a man named Jubair al Hakim who was involved in burning books during the Crusades in order to further the Templars' agenda of establishing a New World Order.