Best of the Best: Warriors Trivia Quiz

Answer: Spartacus

During the Third Servile War, Spartacus was among the slave leaders who rebelled against the Roman Republic. It is unknown how Spartacus became a slave, but it is believed that at one time he either served in the Roman army or was taken as a slave by the legions. What began as a rebellion of 70 slaves at a gladiator school, eventually became a war with approximately 70,000 against Rome.

Although the exact motive of the rebellion is still debated today, it appears that Spartacus and his followers really only wished to return to their homes.

In typical Roman fashion, the wealthy Crassus, who had volunteered to lead Roman forces, refused to negotiate an agreement. Reinforced by Pompey's army, and aided by an apparent breakdown in discipline by the army of Spartacus, Crassus ended the crisis, crucifying 6,000 captured slaves along the Appian Way. What happened to Spartacus? Most sources say he died in battle but according to the historian Appian, his body was never found.

Answer: William Wallace

Very little is known about William Wallace's early life, although his family is believed to have been minor Scottish nobles. One of the main leaders of the Scottish War of Independence, Wallace was appointed Guardian of Scotland after his victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, where a small group of Scotsmen routed the English army. Within a year, however, Wallace's army was defeated at the Battle of Falkirk, he was captured by the English, and sentenced to die a horrible death. Little was written of Wallace's warrior exploits; there is a source, Blind Harry, who wrote "The Wallace".

However, where and how Wallace received his training as a warrior is unknown.

Answer: Count Roland

Although much of the information about Count Roland seems legendary in nature, it is true that he was a military governor of the Breton Marsh during the reign of Charlemagne. The biographer Einhard does mention that Roland was "prefect of the borders of Brittany" and killed during the Battle of Roncevaux Pass by Basques that had ambushed the army.

In the following centuries Roland became part of a fantastic legend, possibly due to the fact that every member of his rearguard had been killed at Roncevaux Pass.

These legends, claiming that he was the nephew of Charlemagne who fought with a magic, unbreakable sword named Durendal, became further embellished during the Renaissance.

Answer: Vercingetorix

After forming the First Triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus, Caesar was appointed Governor of Gaul. Hoping to add vast territories to the Roman Empire, Caesar began conquering the different Gallic tribes with the diplomatic finesse and military force one would expect. Vercingetorix, whose father had been killed by his own people for attempting to unify the Gallic tribes under his rule, was able to convince the tribes to join him to fight the Romans.

While his army did find some success, at the Battle of Alesia, Vercingetorix was cut off from most of his army, and the Romans, led into battle by Caesar himself, won. Vercingetorix was taken to Rome, publicly displayed in Caesar's victory parade, and was housed in the Tullianum for five years before his death. Caesar's "Commentaries on the Gallic War" very precisely outlines the Battle of Alesia and the surrender of this great warrior, who is honored as France's first national hero.

Answer: Khutulun

Khutulun (c.1260-c. 1306), whose name literally means "Moonlight", accompanied her father, Kaidu, who became the most powerful ruler of Central Asia by 1280, led her army into battle many times against Kublai Khan. Marco Polo wrote that she was such a great warrior that she could ride into the enemy's camp and take a captive as easily as a hawk hunts a chicken.

She proclaimed that anyone who wanted to marry her would have to wrestle her first; if they lost, they would have to give her horses. It is said that she amassed a herd of 10,000 horses by defeating potential husbands.

Her father's attempt to name her as his heir was not successful; one of her fourteen brothers was the heir, even though her father had relied heavily on Khutulun for her military advice and assistance.

Answer: Yue Fei

Yue Fei (1103-42) is known for his ability as a warrior as well as his high moral standards and loyalty. As a young man he was torn between loyalty to his widowed mother and his country which was under attack. She is said to have been the one who tattooed "serve the country with the utmost loyalty" on his back. Known for his kindness to his men and civilians, as well as his military skill and bravery, it is said that Yue Fei and his group of 500 men once defeated an army of 100,000 soldiers. Today this general who fought in 126 battles, while never losing a single engagement, is honored as one of the national heroes of China.

Answer: Scipio Africanus

During the Second Punic War against the Carthaginians, Scipio is said to have been present at the disastrous Battle of Cannae, where approximately 60,000 Romans were killed. Hearing a rumor that a group of young patricians intended to desert, he forced all of them (at sword-point) to swear an oath that they would never desert Rome, and they would kill anyone else who tried.

After the death of his father, who commanded the Roman army at the Battle of the Upper Baetis in Spain, Scipio volunteered to take over the army, even though at 24 years of age, he technically wasn't old enough. No one else, however, wanted the job! By the time he led the Romans in the Battle of Zama, nine years had passed and Scipio had proven himself countless times on the battlefield. Blasts from Roman trumpeters frightened Hannibal's war elephants, and they stampeded their own cavalry troops.

In the chaos that ensued, Hannibal's line broke; Carthage was defeated, and the Second Punic War was over. Scipio was given the title "Africanus" in honor of his victory.

However, his next opposition was came from the Roman patricians at home, who unfairly accused him of treason.

Answer: Egil Skallagrimsson

Born in Iceland, it is said that Egil Skallagrimsson (c.904-c.995) composed his first poem when he was only three years old. Four years later, he is believed to have killed his first victim, a boy who cheated him in a game, by splitting his skull with an ax! As a young man, he killed the son of the king, Eiríkr Bloodaxe, and placed a curse on the king; after being captured, however, he saved himself from certain death by writing a poem that praised Eiríkr. Because the Vikings believed that it was illegal to kill someone at night, Egil stayed up all night, composing a massive poem in the king's honor. Eiríkr was so impressed that he spared Egil's life. Known as scaldic poetry, Egil's poems praise others, as well as himself, and are considered to be historically correct - at least in part.

Answer: King Xerxes of Persia

The fact that Leonidas was chosen to lead the Greek forces at Thermopylae is a testimony to his ability as a leader and warrior. When he left Sparta, Leonidas was leading a group of just 300 men. Joined by other Greeks along the way, the combined army that was to defend the pass at Thermopylae was probably 3,000-7,000 men, as opposed to the Persian army, which is said to have contained somewhere between 70,000-300,000. Leonidas, however, dismissed the other soldiers, choosing for fight with his 300 Spartans, 900 Helots, and 700 Thespians who would not leave.

The reason for this is still debated. While some say that Leonidas dismissed the others due to concern for their safety, knowing that his fellow Spartans would never leave, others say that he believed the Greek allies were unwilling to face the danger, and wanted to claim all the glory for the Spartans.

The hero cult of Leonidas remained intact at Sparta for hundreds of years after the battle.

Answer: Celt

Boudica led a rebellion against Rome after the death of her husband, Prasutagus, who had ruled as an ally of Rome. When he died the Romans, ignoring the terms of his will, annexed his kingdom. Boudica, along with an estimated 100,000 Iceni, Trinovantes, and others, burned Londinium and two other cities, killing somewhere between 70,000-80,000 Romans. Ultimately defeated by the Romans, it is unknown if Boudica committed suicide or died of illness.

The Roman historian, Cassius Dio, describes Boudica as a tall woman with tawny-colored, waist-length hair.

While he wrote that she died of illness, Tacitus claimed that she poisoned herself.