Random Republican Roman Rumblings Quiz

Answer: Cures

Livy describes the interesting process whereby the senate influenced the coronation of kings in Rome in relation to Numa.

Answer: Religion

Under Numa, the calendar was divided into the twelve lunar months with which we are familiar. He is also credited with the creation of several priesthoods, and the consecration and building of altars and temples.

Answer: Lucumo

Not surprisingly, the Tarquins came from Tarquinii in Etruria. Arruns was Lucumo's brother, Egerius his nephew, and Demaratus his father.

Answer: Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus

Collatinus was later encouraged to leave Rome because of his "dangerous" name of Tarquin. Valerius was elected to take the place of Collatinus, after the latter's exile. Lucretius was the father of that Lucretia made famous by the "Rape of Lucretia", and he finally became consul after the death of Brutus. Consquently he died in office, and Horatius (says one tradition) was the one to suceed him.

Answer: Lars Porsena

Porsena was convinced to make peace with Rome after witnessing the endurance of a Roman prisoner, Mucius, who had narrowly missed assassinating Porsena. Mucius stuck his right hand in a fire and endured the pain without flinching, to prove Roman virtue. He was afterwards known as "Scaevola", the left-handed man.

Answer: Fabius Pictor

Quintus Fabius Pictor was the first Roman recorded to have written a history of Rome, who lived at least until 200BC. Fabius Maximus was the name of several of Pictor's more famous relatives. Velleius Paterculus was a historian during the reign of the second emperor, Tiberius, after Livy. Licinius Macer does not get mentioned by Livy as a reference until a period almost one hundred years removed from the kings.

Answer: Veii

Alba and Lavinium are Latin towns. Fidenae is a Roman colony.

Answer: Samnites

It was with the Samnites that Rome contested for true control of the Italian peninsula.

Answer: Spurius Postumius Albinus

Calvinus was Albinus's consular colleague. Camillus was the so-called "Second Founder of Rome", for having expelled the Gauls in 390BC. Caecus was famously censor in 312BC, building the Via Appia and the Aqua Appia (an aqueduct).

Answer: Warship Rams

Antium was only about 35 miles from Rome! Rostra refered to the rams used on ancient warships, and meant "beak" in Latin.

Answer: Gave their votes in their assembly the force of law

This enactment was known as the ius suffragi, an echo of some of the civil rights struggles found today, and in our recent history. Of course, as the political power still resided with the Senate, this power of law was not used against the Senate for over one hundred years.

Answer: Heraclea

Asculum was the battle at which the phrase, "Pyrrhic victory", was coined. Pyrrhus is reported to have said, "If we defeat the Romans in one more such battle, we shall be completely ruined." The other two battles are from the Third Samnite War.

Answer: Mamertines

The Mamertines were Oscan mercenaries who were the power in the Sicilian town of Messana. They appealed first to Carthage, who helped them against Heiro, who ruled Syracuse. But Carthage occupied Messana, much to the dismay of the Mamertines, who now appealed to Rome for help against the Carthaginians. Rome responded, sending an army under Claudius Caudex to Sicily.

The war began in earnest after this.

Answer: Carthage sent Hamilcar Barca to Spain

Rome seized the two islands in the previous year. Hannibal was born about ten years before this, and the First Punic War ended in 241BC

Answer: Viridomarus

The spolia opima were dedicated after the Roman commander defeated the opposing commander in a one on one fight, and took his opponent's arma and armor as spoils. Vercingetorix was the Gallic commander who faced Julius Caesar at Alesia. Brennus was the leadrer of the Gauls who sacked Rome around 390BC. Vindex was a Romanised Gaul who led a revolt in AD68, that hastened Nero's fall from power.

Answer: Ebro

It is interesting to note that Saguntum is south of the Ebro, within Carthage's territory under the treaty. So it can be argued that Rome was the aggressor, contrary to its own claims.

Answer: Archimedes

We know all about Archimedes' Rule regarding water displacement, but he designed and built war machines which stopped the Roman siege of Syracuse. The other three men were all dead by the time of the Second Punic War.

Answer: Greek cities free of Macedon

This is something for which the Greeks appear highly grateful: Flamininus is awarded divine honors for his action.

Answer: Basilica Aemilia

This was built by the censors of that year, Aemilius Lepidus and Fulvius Nobilior, and was under the financial care of the Aemilian family. They spent a fair bit of money maintaining the basilica. So much so that a large part of Julius Caesar's bribe of the consul of 50BC, Aemilius Paullus, went to it's restoration.

Answer: Polybius

Who, of course, went on to become part of Scipio Aemilianus's circle, and to extol Roman virtue in his history writings.