Dates Etched in Memory Trivia Quiz

Answer: Marathon

In the battle of Marathon the Greeks, led by the Athenians, defeated the invading Persian army. The battle was a tactical victory for Miltiades. He lined up his soldiers in a straight line and ordered his troops to attack the Persians head-on. The middle of his line was forced back by the Persians, but the two wings converged, trapping the enemy.

In the slaughter that followed 6,400 Persians and 192 Greeks died. The run of Pheidippides from Marathon to Athens is the inspiration for the modern day Marathon race.

The battle of Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC. The battles of Granicus and Issus took place more than 150 years later during Alexander's campaign against the Persians.

Answer: Alexander

Alexander the Great was born in Pella on the day that Herostratus torched the temple of Artemis in Ephesus. He was the son of Phillip II and Olympias, who was the daughter of king Neoptolemus of Epirus. After securing Greece, Alexander led his army against the Persians.

He managed to set up a great empire that stretched as far as Afghanistan and India. He died at the age of 33. Parmenion was a general who served both Philipp and Alexander; Cassander was one of Alexander's generals who became king of Macedon.

Answer: Julius Caesar

Despite warnings from his wife and his doctors, due to his epileptic fits, Julius Caesar went to the Senate on the fateful 15th of March. As he took his seat the conspirators gathered around him putting on a show of respect. Tillius Cimber stabbed Caesar first and then the rest of the conspirators struck with their daggers. Gaius Cassius and Marcus Junius Brutus were amongst the assassins.

Many centuries later (c. 1580) it was said that when Marcus Junius Brutus struck Caesar he said in Greek "You too Brutus, my boy?" There is no earlier reference to this.

Answer: Constantinople

Emperor Constantine had the new city built on seven hills just like Rome. It was initially named Nova Roma but was renamed Constantinople during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II in the fifth century. In honour of the city's dedication Constantine erected a column, now known as "Burnt Column" (or "Burnt Stone"), on top of which there was a statue of the emperor as Apollo.

Answer: Charlemagne

Charles, King of the Franks, acquired the epithet "great" and became Charlemagne. The ceremony was held in St. Peter's cathedral in Rome. After the coronation Charlemagne introduced a common currency, measurements and language. He made Aachen his new capital with the intention of making it the New Rome. Pepin the Short was Charlemange's father, Charles Martel was an ancestor and Constantine is the name of eleven emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Answer: Hastings

The victim was King Harold Godwinson and that meant that the invading forces under William of Normandy were victorious. William was crowned King of England on Christmas day of the same year. It was the last time that a foreign invading force conquered England. The battle of Stamford Bridge was fought a month earlier, on 25 September, between English forces under the King Harold Godwinson and Norwegian forces under King Harald Hadrada. The battles of Falkirk and Bannockburn were fought between English and Scottish troops in 1298 and 1314 respectively.

Note that the earliest reference to King Harold being shot in the eye dates from the 15th century. The arrow in the Bayeux Tapestry seems to have been added much later.

Answer: Meadow

Runnymede was, and still is, a water-meadow very close to Windsor. It is speculated that the name is a composite word meaning a council in the meadow. King John did not actually sign the document, but placed his seal on it. The document was meant to be a peace treaty between the Barons and the King that regulated the rights and liberties of the Church, local authorities and most importantly the rights of the barons, the king, and to some extent, also ordinary free men.

The charter consisted of 63 articles many of which were modified or deleted during subsequent versions of it.

Many copies of the document were made because it had to be distributed to all authorities across the country for abidance.

Answer: Constantine XI

Constantine XI Palaeologos was Emperor for just over four years (1449-1453). After uttering those words he charged for the last time and was killed soon after. His body was identified by the silk stockings he was wearing that were embroidered with an eagle.

The Ottomans had laid siege to the city from the winter of 1452. Constantine had only 7,000 soldiers under his command as opposed to tens of thousands Ottomans. The outcome was inevitable. Justinian reigned from 527 to 565, Alexander from 912 to 913 and Constantine X from 1067 to 1078.

Answer: Ferdinand and Isabella

Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon were the sponsors for Columbus' journey. Isabella ascended to the throne in December 1474 and Ferdinand was made King in January 1475. Columbus set sail from the port of Palos, in south-west Spain, with three ships - the flagship "Santa Maria" and the "Nina" and "Pinta".

He landed on an island that he called San Salvador on 12 October 1492. He thought that he had landed in India, thus giving rise to the name West Indies. He continued his journey and reached Cuba, which he thought was Japan, and Hispaniola before returning first to Portugal and then to Spain in March 1493. All other options were the reigning monarchs of their country in 1492. Charles VIII the Affable was King of France, John II was King of Portugal and Henry VII King of England.

Answer: Louis XVI

Louis XVI was the King of France when Bastille was stormed on July 14. The Bastille was a fortress that was used as a prison, and on that day only had seven prisoners. The king was informed by the Duke the following day. King Louis was executed on 21 January 1793. Later that year his Queen, Marie Antoinette was executed as well.

The French revolution was the inspiration for other countries seeking independence. Louis XIV, the Sun King, reigned from 1643 to 1715, Napoleon I was Emperor of France from 1804 to 1815 and Napoleon III was Emperor from 1852 to 1870.