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Vestal Virgins Trivia Quiz

Vestal Virgins - the only female priesthood in ancient Rome.

A multiple-choice quiz by fastnine. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
fastnine

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
248,938

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1905

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Vestal Virgins were the holy priestesses of Vesta. Vesta is the goddess of what? Hint

Wisdom

Earth

Fortune

Hearth

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Question 2 of 10

2. What was the Vestal Virgins primary task? Hint

collecting pure water in clay vases

guarding sacred objects

keeping records such as wills and testaments

maintaining the sacred fire of Vesta

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Question 3 of 10

3. How many Vestal Virgins were there? Hint

first 2, then 4 and then 6

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Question 4 of 10

4. The Vestal Virgins were sworn to celibacy; how many years were they committed to service? Hint

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Question 5 of 10

5. At what age were Vestal Virgins committed to the priesthood? Hint

at the beginning of puberty

before puberty

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Question 6 of 10

6. What were Vestal Virgins allowed to do that most Roman women were not? Hint

all of these

make a will

vote

own property

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Question 7 of 10

7. What was the punishment for a Vestal Virgin who violated her oath of celibacy? Hint

to be hanged

to be stoned

to be buried alive with a couple days food and water

to be burned at the stake

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Question 8 of 10

8. Which famous Vestal Virgin is said to be the mother of Rome's legendary founders Romulus and Remus? Hint

Tarpeia

Auilia Severa

Rhea Silvia

Coelia Concordia

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which famous Vestal Virgin married Emperor Elagabalus despite considerable scandal? Hint

Rhea Silvia

Tarpeia

Coelia Concordia

Julia Aquilia Severa

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Question 10 of 10

10. Why were the Vestal Virgins disbanded in 394? Hint

emperor Theodosius forbade public pagan worship

Vestal Virgins broke the oath of celibacy

there were no more young girls who wanted to be Vestal Virgins

emperor Theodosius wanted them for his harem

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Vestal Virgins were the holy priestesses of Vesta. Vesta is the goddess of what?

Answer: Hearth

Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom, Fortuna the goddess of fortune and Ceres the goddess of the earth.

2. What was the Vestal Virgins primary task?

Answer: maintaining the sacred fire of Vesta

All of these were duties of the Vestal Virgins, but maintaining the fire was the most important task.

3. How many Vestal Virgins were there?

Answer: first 2, then 4 and then 6

Wikipedia Encyclopedia states that the priestly office was created by the second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius. Aulus Gellius wrote that the first Vestal Virgin was taken away from her parents by Numa Pompilius. Originally there were 2 of them, then 4 (in Plutarch's time) and finally six.

4. The Vestal Virgins were sworn to celibacy; how many years were they committed to service?

Answer: 30

They served 30 years: ten years as students, ten in service and ten as teachers.

5. At what age were Vestal Virgins committed to the priesthood?

Answer: before puberty

They were committed before they started puberty, between the ages of six and ten.

6. What were Vestal Virgins allowed to do that most Roman women were not?

Answer: all of these

There were many privileges to being a Vestal Virgin. For instance, they were always transported by carpentum, they received a place of honor at all public games and could free condemned prisoners by just touching them.

7. What was the punishment for a Vestal Virgin who violated her oath of celibacy?

Answer: to be buried alive with a couple days food and water

Tradition required that a Vestal Virgin be buried within the city and it was forbidden to spill her blood. Roman law stated that no person could be buried in the city, so the disobedient Vestal Virgin was buried alive with a couple days food and water.

8. Which famous Vestal Virgin is said to be the mother of Rome's legendary founders Romulus and Remus?

Answer: Rhea Silvia

Rhea was forced to become a Vestal Virgin by her uncle, Amulius, after he killed her father, Numitor, and took his throne. Amulius wanted to ensure that there would be no heirs to Numitor's throne; however, the god Mars took a liking to Rhea and raped her in the forest; out of this union the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, were born.

Upon hearing of this, Amulius ordered Rhea buried alive for breaking her oath of celibacy even though she had been raped. A servant, who was to kill the twins, pitied them and sent them adrift in the river Tiber. The river-god, Tiberinus, rescued the twins and Rhea and later married her.

9. Which famous Vestal Virgin married Emperor Elagabalus despite considerable scandal?

Answer: Julia Aquilia Severa

Coelia Concordia was the last head of the order, Rhea Silvia is the legendary mother of Romulus and Remus, and Tarpeia, according to myth, betrayed Rome to the Sabines.

10. Why were the Vestal Virgins disbanded in 394?

Answer: emperor Theodosius forbade public pagan worship

The Sacred Fire of Vesta burned until 394 when Emperor Theodosius forbade public pagan worship, had the fire extinguished, closed the Temple of Vesta and disbanded the Vestal Virgins.

Source: Author fastnine

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Beatka before going online.
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