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Cleopatra of the Nile Trivia Quiz

Cleopatra has fascinated us, from her day to ours. These questions deal with some events and persons in her lifetime.

A multiple-choice quiz by medvedok. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
medvedok

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
336,194

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
587

Last 3 plays: Guest 104 (4/10), Guest 160 (6/10), Johnmcmanners (10/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Cleopatra was of what descent? Hint

Macedonian (Greek)

Egyptian

Ethiopian

Nubian

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Question 2 of 10

2. What was the fate of Cleopatra's sister, Arsinoe? Hint

She was executed on orders from Mark Antony in Ephesus

She was poisoned by Cleopatra

She was exiled to Ethiopia

She committed suicide

3. When Cleopatra acquired full power in Egypt, she associated Caesarion, her son by Caesar, with her rulership, although he was just a boy. How many other males did she share power with earlier in life? Hint

Two

None

Three

Five

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Question 4 of 10

4. Who were the Gabiniani? Hint

An Egyptian trading company

A group of priests

Roman soldiers left in Egypt by Aulus Gabinius

A guild of masons

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Question 5 of 10

5. When Julius Caesar began his liaison with Cleopatra, to whom was he married? Hint

Fulvia

Servila

Clodia Metelli

Calpurnia

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Question 6 of 10

6. How many children did Cleopatra bear Antony? Hint

none

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Question 7 of 10

7. Caesarion, Cleopatra's son by Caesar, was associated with which god? Hint

Nut

Horus

Osiris

Seth

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Question 8 of 10

8. After Caesar and before Antony, Cleopatra made an alliance with which Roman general? Hint

She made no other alliances

Publius Cornelius Dolabella

Octavian

Cassius

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Question 9 of 10

9. Who is our oldest source for this period? Hint

Strabo

Plutarch

Suetonius

Shakespeare

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Question 10 of 10

10. Was there universal agreement, even at the time, about the manner of Cleopatra's death?

Yes

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 05 2024 : Guest 104: 4/10
Nov 25 2024 : Guest 160: 6/10
Oct 30 2024 : Johnmcmanners: 10/10
Oct 28 2024 : Guest 101: 6/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Cleopatra was of what descent?

Answer: Macedonian (Greek)

Cleopatra was of Macedonian (Greek) descent. Her ancestor, Ptolemy Soter, was a Macedonian general who rode with Alexander the Great. After Alexander's death, his vast empire was divided among his strongest generals, and Ptolemy claimed Egypt.

2. What was the fate of Cleopatra's sister, Arsinoe?

Answer: She was executed on orders from Mark Antony in Ephesus

Arsinoe was taken to Rome and paraded in Julius Caesar's triumph. Under a certain amount of pressure, Caesar allowed Arsinoe sanctuary in the temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Later, at Cleopatra's instigation, Antony removed Arsinoe from the temple and had her killed on the temple steps, causing a wave of indignation and scandal in Rome.

Answer: Three

Cleopatra ruled jointly with her father, Ptolemy Auletes XII, and with her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV.

4. Who were the Gabiniani?

Answer: Roman soldiers left in Egypt by Aulus Gabinius

Aulus Gabinius left some Roman soldiers in Egypt to maintain Ptolemy's kingdom. In time, some of these soldiers were acculturated and remained in Egypt.

5. When Julius Caesar began his liaison with Cleopatra, to whom was he married?

Answer: Calpurnia

Caesar was married to Calpurnia Pisonis at this time. Servilia was his mistress earlier in Rome, but he never married her. Clodia Metelli was never married to Caesar, and Fulvia was one of Mark Antony's wives.

6. How many children did Cleopatra bear Antony?

Answer: 3

Cleopatra presented Antony with twins, Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene (the sun and the moon) and later, another son, Ptolemy Philadelphus.

7. Caesarion, Cleopatra's son by Caesar, was associated with which god?

Answer: Horus

Since Cleopatra was considered the goddess Isis, Caesarion was associated with Horus, the son of Isis. Seth did not figure in this combination, and Osiris was the mate of Isis. Nut was a female deity of the sky.

8. After Caesar and before Antony, Cleopatra made an alliance with which Roman general?

Answer: Publius Cornelius Dolabella

Before the battle of Philippi, Brutus and Cassius were gathering allies in the East against Octavian and Antony. Their movements in the East caused some concern for Cleopatra, and she formed an alliance with Dolabella who supported her claim for Caesarion as her successor on the throne of Egypt.

9. Who is our oldest source for this period?

Answer: Strabo

Shakespeare has inspired our imagination with his play, but he lived more than 1500 years after the events. Plutarch and Suetonius both wrote a hundred years or so later after Cleopatra's death. Strabo was an exact contemporary, and he was possibly in Alexandria when these events occurred.

10. Was there universal agreement, even at the time, about the manner of Cleopatra's death?

Answer: No

There was conjecture at that time, the most commonly accepted account being Cleopatra's death by the lethal bite of an asp or cobra. It was also thought that she died from poisoning, a combination of hemlock, wolfsbane, and opium. A snakebite would not have been either quick or painless.

There was conjecture, continuing to this day, that Octavian ordered her death, our only direct source for this period being Octavian's memoirs, the story being carried off as a suicide.

Source: Author medvedok

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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