The Romans In Britain Trivia Quiz

Answer: till before winter.

He had first sent an explorer one Caius Volusenus. He then decided to send in two legions ( about 10,000 men). A fleet of warships sailed from Portus Itius (modern Boulogne) to near the cliffs of Dover. Transport ships with the cavalry were to follow some days later. Commius, an agent of Caesar's, a leader of the Atrebates, had been forced to negotiate for him with the locals.

A storm caused damage to the warships that had been beached. Some of the transport ships that were still riding at anchor, were dashed one against another.The VIIth legion was attacked by surprise. Because the equinox was at hand Caesar decided to return and settle for a 'nominal peace treaty' with some of the British tribes.

The treaty was sealed with the taking of hostages.

In his own words: 'The ill condition of our ships made it inadvisable to postpone the return voyage until winter. Taking advantage of fair weather, we set sail a little after midnight, and the whole fleet reached the mainland in safety.'

Answer: the Caledones

The Atrebates had emigrated from the district around Arras. They settled in Berkshire and other areas south of the Thames. The Belgae, people of Germanic origin but speaking Celtic, came from what are now Belgium and Northern France. They crossed over to Britain in large numbers and established themselves, not on the hills, as had their predecessors, but in the lower land, such as the Thames Valley and those of its tributaries.

They were numerous in Kent, Essex and Hertfordshire. The Parisi had settled in what is now Yorkshire. Though the Romans used the name Lutetia for France's capital , the historical link between the Parisian area and the Parisi is correct.

The Caledones are the only tribe that had not come to Britain via Gaul. Tacitus thought that their 'reddish hair and large limbs proclaimed a Germanic origin.' It was his father-in-law Julius Agricola who tried to subdue them but that was in the eighties AD.

Answer: woad

Weld or dyers rocket is reseda luteola, which does not give the indigo colour produced by woad. Logwood,sanderswood etc. are other natural dying stuffs. So are sumach tree leaves. See {www.net-link.net;rowan;crafts;woad;woadpage.html} {;} stand sfor {slash;} rowan should be preceded by a tilde.

Answer: they approached the battlefield sitting in their chariots and then jumped off to fight on on horseback

The chariots were meant for warriors to stand in. Standing was helpful to launch the javelins with extreme force and speed. The fast moving chariots created an element of surprise.

Answer: the legionaries used a special formation which allowed them to have not only their sides and fronts protected but also their heads

Testudo refers to the head-protection of a tortoise. The other techniques were used by the Romans indeed, but are not a 'testudo'.

Answer: True

Caesar was a master in representing facts as 'great victories' even when they had been near failures. There had been a combination of bad luck and misjudgment for Caesar during his first landing: the legionaries had disembarked at ebb-tide, which slowed down their progress as they had had to wade through a long stretch of shallow water {;} the Celts had been warned and stood looking on on the {clifftops;} the ships on the beaches and those riding at anchor had been damaged by {storms;} there was the threat of new high water because of the equinox that was {near;} the Celtic opposition was much stronger and cleverer than he was used to. And he also had used the wrong sort of ships : Mediterrean style ships rather than craft suitable for the North Sea (or the Channel).

Answer: Sandwich

When on July 6th, 54 BC he again sailed out of Boulogne Harbour there was a south-westerly breeze that took the invaders off their course in a more north-easterly direction.' The whole fleet reached Britain about noon, but the enemy was nowhere to be seen. We therefore disembarked and chose a site for the camp'. Maybe getting blown off course had been a blessing in disguise?

Answer: Cassivellaunus

The Catuvellauni ruled from Wheathammpstead over a large area which now comprises Hertfordshire and Essex. They were clearly oppressing some of their neighbours such as the Cantiaci, and the Trinovantes. Their meeting Caesar near Canterbury was already an illustration of their tendency to send their troops 'off-limits' as Canterbury - as the name indicates - was clearly Cantiaci territory. Cunobelinus belongs to a later period of history.

He was the famous King of the Catuvellauni, who in AD 10 established himself at Camulodunum, present-day Colchester. Dumnorix was the Burgundian who Caesar had tried to use as a kind of mediator. Dumnorix was so reluctant to do this, that in the end Caesar had simply killed him. Mandubracius was a prince of the Trinovantes whose father had been murdered by Cassivelanus and his Catuvellaunians. For that reason he became an ally of Caesar's.

Answer: Dubrae

Noviomagus was the name of (among other settlements): Chichester. In Holland it was the name of present-day Nijmegen. Durovernum was Canterbury, though the modern name Canterbury has a different origin. It derives from the name of the tribe of the Cantiaci who had their homelands in Kent. Deva was not in the south-east at all but was the Latin name for Chester. Rutupiae(Richborough), Portus Lemanae(Lympne), and Dubrae(Dover) were the most popular natural ports in early Roman times.

Answer: Cymbeline

Play by Shakespeare with, apart from Cymbeline himself, Caius Lucius, Cloten, Cornelius, Belarius, Posthumus Leonatus, Guiderius, Ardviragus, Philario and Iachimo as some of the male characters. Cymbeline's wife,the Queen and their daughter Imogen are the main female characters. Helen is a Lady attending on Imogen.