Libya - History and Culture Trivia Quiz

Answer: Timgad

Apollonia is an ancient Greek port which serviced the nearby city of Cyrene. Earthquakes and landslides from the nearby high escarpment have destroyed much of the original city, but its setting on the Mediterranean coast is still spectacular. Sabratha was founded in the 6th Century B.C. and reached its height in the 3rd Century A.D. trading goods such as ivory and slaves from central Africa. Leptis Magna is truly impressive with its colosseum, temples, arches, and large public baths. Originally a city of Carthage, it became part of the Roman Empire in 146 B.C.

The Roman Emperor Septimius Severus was born in Leptis Magna, and eventually died in York, England in 211 A.D. Timgad is a Roman colonial city in Algeria.

Answer: Simon Of Cyrene

Cyrene occupies a prominent position high on an escarpment overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the coastal plain. It is close to the modern city of Derna. Simon of Cyrene was ordered by the Romans to carry the cross of Jesus to his crucifixion (Matthew 27. verse 32). Tarsus is located in Turkey, and Saul of Tarsus became the Apostle Paul. Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus for interment, and is mentioned in all four gospels. Arimathea was a Judean city near Jerusalem. Zacchaeus came from Jericho, and is mentioned in the gospel of Luke, chapter 19, verse 10.

Answer: desert

Saying "Sahara Desert" is really tautology as it actually means "desert desert". The Sahara is the world's largest desert, and is about the size of the U.S.A. It forms a major part of the landscape of eleven countries. The Sahara is not all sand however.

There are large areas of gravel, clay and rock, and several mountain ranges. The highest point in the Sahara is the volcano Emi Koussi in Chad, which is 3,415 metres (11,204 feet) high.

Answer: six

Libya has borders with Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Niger, Sudan, and Tunisia. In recent years some of these borders have been the subject of dispute, and even conflict. The longest running dispute was with Chad, over an area of approximately ten thousand square kilometres known as "The Aouzou Strip". Eventually this conflict was settled by both countries agreeing in 1984 to a judgment by the International Court of Justice.

Answer: True

There are many neolithic and early African sites of antiquity in Libya, including spectacular rock art and engravings. Some, such as those at Messak Sattafet and Messak Mellet, depict men and animals in a variety of poses and activities. Some of these sites are at least ten thousand years old, and date from a time when the Sahara region was a fertile savannah with many lakes and rivers, and teeming with wildlife.

Answer: Britain and Italy

By June 1940, Britain, France and Italy had major forces in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia, but the Franco-German armistice of that month removed the French army from the equation. Under Marshall Rodolfo Graziani the Italians tried to invade Egypt via Libya, which involved overcoming the British bases at Sidi Barrani and Mersa Matruh. British forces under General O'Connor and General Wavell defeated the Italians, leading to the appointment of the German General Erwin Rommell to take command of the Afrika Corps. Rommel arrived in Libya on 12th February 1941.

Answer: General Sir Harold Alexander

General Alexander was appointed as C-in-C Middle East on 6th August 1942. He replaced Sir Claude Auchinleck who was the previous Commander. Alexander, with the agreement of Winston Churchill, appointed General Montgomery to command the 8th Army. It was the 8th Army under Montgomery which went on to defeat Rommel at El Alamein, and bring an end to German power in North Africa. Sir Alan Brooke was Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and was offered the command of the Middle East and North Africa, but refused, believing he was more useful where he was.

Answer: False

Libya has several mountain ranges including the Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain) in the north, and the Tibesti and Tassili mountains in the south. The highest point in Libya is Bikku Bitti which rises to 2,267 metres (7,438 feet).

Answer: Drill Overseer

The toolpusher is the senior supervisor on an oil rig, and has considerable practical experience and knowledge. Roustabouts are general manual workers on an oil rig. Mud loggers analyse the fluids which are circulated through and around the drill while drilling is in progress.

These fluids carry the sediments through which the drill is passing. Oil production drills can reach thousands of metres in depth. Drill overseer is just a made up term!

Answer: Hejaz

Tripolitania is the north west territory, with the capital city Tripoli on its Mediterranean coast. Cyrenaica is the north east territory, with Tobruk and Benghazi on the coast. The Fezzan covers the southern part of the country, and is entirely within the Sahara Desert. Hejaz is a region of Saudi Arabia, wherein lie the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Answer: Revolutionary Leader

The only title officially held by Qadhafi was Revolutionary Leader. Some sources claim he held no title, but this is untrue. In spite of this, he was de facto head of state, and commander of the armed forces until he was overthrown and killed during the bloody civil war of 2012.

His rank of colonel is Libya's highest achievable military rank. Qadhafi set out his personal political philosophy in "The Third Universal Theory", popularly known as "The Green Book".

Answer: Great Manmade River Project

The Great Manmade River Project is designed to carry vast quantities of sub-Saharan water to the coastal regions for irrigation, industry and drinking. On completion it is expected to carry five to six million cubic metres of water every day. The project began in 1984, and is estimated to finally cost over twenty-five billion dollars.

A total length of 3,380 kilometres of four metre diameter pipe will finally be installed, and the entire length will be wrapped in reinforcing wire. If laid out in a line, this reinforcing wire would circle the Earth two hundred and thirty times.

Answer: 1951

Prior to World War II Libya was an Italian colony, and following the war was administered for five years by Britain under a United Nations mandate. Libya became an independent kingdom on 24th December 1951.

Answer: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

The name and the constitution were changed in 1977, prior to which Libya was called the "Libyan Arab Republic'. Jamahiriya has no precise translation into English, but means "Government by the masses". The new constitution set up a system whereby local "people's committees" took on the role of national government, though Colonel Muammar Qadhafi effectively remained as Head of State.

In January 2013 the name was officially changed to the State of Libya.

Answer: United Nations Commission on Human Rights

The chairmanship of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights rotates between the major continental areas, and in 2003 it was the turn of Africa. Libya was unanimously sponsored by the African Union, in particular by South Africa, against strong opposition from the U.S.A. and other countries. The final vote was thirty three for, three against, and seventeen abstentions.