The Roman Era Trivia Quiz

Answer: 753 B.C.E.

This is the accepted year for the founding of Rome. The source for this year Marcus Terentius Varro, who proposed this year as the year of foundation, and it was accepted by the Romans themselves. However, it cannot be proved.

Answer: Numa Pompilius

Numa Pompilius succeeded Romulus as the second ruler of the Roman Kingdom. This was before both the Empire and the Republic. Numa Pompilius brought the Vestal Virgins to the city as well as the office and duties of the Pontifex Maximus.

Answer: 49 B.C.E.

Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49 B.C.E. and thus started an armed conflict with Rome. This was a problem because it was decreed by Roman law that no general could cross the Rubicon at the head of his army as it would be considered an act of sedition. This is similar to the American law which does not allow for military movements within the country without state approval.

Answer: False

While Julius Caesar is often cited as the first Emperor of Rome, this is not the case. Octavian renamed himself Augustus and is actually the first recognized Emperor of Rome ending the era of the Roman Republic of which Caesar was the last "dictator for life".

The resulting initial emperors could trace a familial line back to Caesar which is why the name "Caesar" usually appears before those emperors names. This could help the confusion over Caesar's imperial rule or lack thereof.

Answer: Caligula was not the Emperor

It is a common thought that while Rome was burned in 64 C.E. Emperor Nero sang "The Sack of Illium". Illium was another name for Troy, and Nero is said to have thought the the fire in Rome was comparable to the sacking of Troy, a city Rome that claimed as its ancestor. (There is, however, doubt as to whether Nero was even in Rome at the time). Caligula was Nero's uncle who had ruled 13 years prior.

Answer: Constantine

Although a similar policy was put into place by Galerius in 311, Constantine spread the tolerance of Christianity throughout the Empire on a large scale and helped the small religion to gain prominence. Christianity now gained many more members thanks to this edict and this also changed centuries of tradition within the Empire of a polytheistic state religion.

This gave new morals to the Empire and the era of the Roman Vice was over. Ironically, the 'suppression' of Roman Vice is sometimes said to have been a contributing factor the decline of the Empire.

The Western Empire fell less than 200 years after Christianity's acceptance.

Answer: Romulus Augustulus

The decline of the Western Empire as a whole is obscure and is really a trickle down of power but the accepted final Emperor of the Western Roman Empire was Romulus Augustulus. The Empire still continued in the east but the large Roman Empire, spanning East and West, was finished.

Answer: 7

These are the Seven Hills of Rome. The founding of the city is thought to have occurred on the Palatine Hill by Romulus. The original city was then expanded with the affluent members of Roman society residing on the hills while the lower-classes staying in the middle of the hills which was originally swamp land.

Answer: Aqueducts

Contrary to a widespread misconception, the aqueduct was *not* a Roman invention, but they developed it and made extensive use of it (aquaducts were in us in Egypt and India before the Romans). Aqueducts were used to bring water into their cities. This allowed for public bath houses which were a staple of the Roman Empire as well as some private bathing facilities for the more affluent households.

Many can still be seen to this day in Western Europe.

Answer: False

Paved roads have been found dating back to 4000 B.C.E. in Ur in modern-day Iraq. However, considering Rome heavily influenced the Western World it is not uncommon to hear of Rome having 'invented roads'. In all actuality Rome originally used their roads for military movements, much like the American Interstate System.