The First Punic War Trivia Quiz

Answer: Phoenicians

The name "Punic wars" comes from the Roman name for Carthaginians, "Punici". Most experts reckon that it it a shortening of the word "phoenici" meaning Phoenician. Settlers from Tyre came and settled Carthage c.814 BC.

Answer: Hiero

Hiero wanted his Syracuse to be the dominant force in Sicily, and he thought Carthage offered him the best chance of doing this. However, after the Romans won an early victory, he changed sides. He then was Rome's most faithful ally, and stayed with them even at their lowest ebb. Without him, they could easily have lost the war.

Answer: Pyrrhus of Epirus

King Pyrrhus came from a place to the west of Macedon called Epirus. He heavily defeated the Romans twice, and was shocked when they refused to meet his emissaries (remind you of anything?). The Romans then fought back, and inflicted heavy losses on him.

He is reported to have said "Another victory like this, and I will truly be defeated." The phrase "Pyrrhic victory" now means a victory at enormous cost.

Answer: M. Atilius Regulus

Catulus was the ancestor of Quintus Lutatius Catulus, the leader of the Patrician faction round about 65 BC.
Duillius' family did not produce any more distinguished offspring.

Answer: The Raven

The 'raven' (corvus in Latin), was a boarding ramp that allowed the Romans to board the Carthaginian ships. However, it was ditched later in the war but no explanation for this has been recorded. Some archaeologists reckon that it unbalanced the Roman ships, but no one has offered a really concrete explanation.

Answer: Quinquireme

The quinquireme was the standard type of ship used in the war, and nothing bigger was really practical. We do hear of the Ptolemaic dynasty making 40s though.
There has been some debate about the quinquireme was really used often as Polybius often uses the word "trireme" as a generic term for "ship".

Answer: Publius Claudius Pulcher

If the sacred chickens did not eat their meal, then the omens were unfavourable for a battle, and Claudius thought that his idea for a surprise attack was so brilliant, that the omens could not possibly be negative. Many thousands of his sailors lost their lives in the ensuing combat.
His wife's carriage was stopped in Rome by a mob, and she wondered aloud why her husband could not lose another battle and drown more of the poorest citizens.

Answer: Battle of Tunis

Marcus Atilius Regulus was the Roman commander. He was captured and sent to Rome on a peace mission, on parole. He urged the Romans not to give in, but then kept his word and returned to Carthage. He was then tortured to death.

Answer: Panormus

Metellus withdrew to the walls of Panormus (modern day Palermo). Hasdrubal ravaged the surrounding countryside, but that gave Metellus time to prepare defences. After having won the battle, the Romans did not cede control of Panormus for centuries.

Answer: Gesco

He wished to make it seem that he had not been defeated (which was true), and so he sent Gesco to Rome for negotiations. This unfortunate man was also sent as a go-between in the war with the mercenaries. He was then crucified by the mercenaries.