Who's Who: Barbarians Within the Roman Empire Quiz

Answer: Hannibal

Hannibal was the famous Carthaginian general who led his army against the Romans during the Second and Third Punic Wars; his father had been commander of the army during the First Punic War. It is written that as a young child Hannibal was taught by his father to hate the Romans.

By the time of the Second Punic War Hannibal had taken over control of the army and famously marched his war elephants across the Alps in an attempted land invasion of Italy after being blockaded by sea. During the course of the Third Punic War, Hannibal's army was defeated at the Battle of Zama.

While it is unknown exactly how Hannibal died, it is true that he struck terror in the hearts of Romans; the expression, "Hannibal is at the gates!", is still used to express fear or the threat of disaster.

Answer: Cleopatra

The last member of the Ptolemaic Dynasty and the last pharaoh to rule Egypt, Cleopatra was more Macedonian than Egyptian. Her family was descended from Ptolemy, the general who was able to maintain control over Egypt after Alexander the Great's death. Wishing to meet the great Roman general Julius Caesar, but unable to secure an introduction, Cleopatra is said to have had herself delivered to him rolled up in a carpet! After Caesar's death, she married Marc Antony; together they had three children.

Unfortunately, Marc Antony's relationship with Cleopatra led to his falling out of favor with Octavian, who was his brother-in-law. After losing the Battle of Actium, Marc Antony committed suicide, and Cleopatra followed suit, reportedly allowing an asp to bite her.

Answer: Vercingetorix

Julius Caesar, a member of the First Triumvirate, had gone to Gaul in 58 BC in an attempt to expand the Roman Empire. Vercingetorix was the leader of the Arverni Gauls during the Gallic Wars with Rome; he successfully united the Gauls, and defeated Caesar's army at the Battle of Gergovia, using a scorched earth policy.

He was taken prisoner, however, after being defeated in the Battle of Alesia, and taken to Rome in chains. Vercingetorix, held captive for five years in the Tullianum, also known as the Mamertine Prison, was forced to participate in Caesar's victory procession, after which he was probably strangled.

Answer: Mithridates

Mithridates was the King of Pontus in present-day Turkey. In 88 he led a revolt against Roman rule and ordered a one-day massacre, known as the Asiatic Vespers, of 80,000 Roman civilians who had settled in the Black Sea region of the empire. It took the efforts of three Roman generals to defeat his army; after Pompey the Great finally succeeded, it was written that Mithridates unsuccessfully tried to take poison.

It was, however, ineffective due to the fact that he had regularly ingested poisons and had invented an antidote.

Some sources claimed that he requested that one of his bodyguards kill him, while others say that Mithrodates took his own life with his sword.

Answer: Jugurtha

The kingdom of Numidia was located in North Africa in the present-day countries of Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. Jugurtha, the illegitimate son of Masinissa, became king after the death of his father's heir. Actually he inherited the throne with two other people - Hiempsal I and Adherbal - who were his father's grandsons.

After ordering the murder of Hiempsal I, and defeating and killing Adherbal in battle, Jugurtha became the sole King of Numidia. Numidia was typically either a province or a client state of Rome, and Jugurtha's activities were cause for concern, especially when it was rumored that he had bribed many senators to be indifferent as to what was going on there, even after many Romans living in the area were also killed. Eventually Jugurtha was brought back to Rome in chains, and is said to have died by starvation in the Tullianum, also known as the Mamertine Prison.

Answer: Boudica

Boudica, the famous ancient Queen of the Iceni, is believed to have lived in the area of present-day Norfolk, England. Married to Prasutagus, the king, she took on the leadership of the Iceni after his death. Actually, he willed the kingdom to his daughters and the Roman emperor.

However, Roman mistreatment brought the Iceni to the famous revolt, which Boudica is said to have led. The revolt is said to have left 80,000 Romans in Britain dead, and three cities, Camulodunum (Colchester), Londinium (London), and Verulamium (St. Albans), in ruins.

After being defeated at the Battle of Watling Street, some sources say Boudica drank poison, while others say she died of wounds received in battle.

Answer: Attila

The activities of the Huns were significant when considering the many Germanic invasions that contributed to the fall of Rome. As early as 376, many Germanic tribe that earlier had trickled within the boundaries of the Roman Empire, began to enter in mass.

After becoming ruler of the Huns, Attila made a treaty with the Byzantine Emperor (435), and unsuccessfully attempted an invasion of the Sassanid (Persian) Empire; he then led a coalition of peoples, perhaps with an army as large as 200,000, against the Roman Empire in 451. Attila's reputation for killing preceded him, as the "Scourge of God" struck terror in the hearts of all.

While the Huns were defeated at the Battle of Chalons in 451, they were still in northern Italy. What happened at the meeting between Pope Leo I and Attila in 452? To this day, no one knows for sure. What did happen, however, was that Attila left Italy and retreated to Hungary.

A year later, with their leader dead from what some sources say was an apparent nosebleed, coupled with internal chaos, the threat posed by the Huns dissipated; the damage they had inflicted, however, was irreversible.

Answer: Pyrrhus

Pyrrhus, the king of Epirus, fought against the Romans during the Republican Period when the empire was expanding on the peninsula toward Greek colonies (Magna Graecia) that had been founded on the southern coast of Italy. After winning two very costly victories against the Romans, including the Battle of Asculum, the army of Pyrrhus was defeated and Magna Graecia became part of the Roman Confederation.

The term "Pyrrhic victory" is derived from these battles, meaning a "victory at great cost to the winner".

In his "Life of Pyrrhus", Plutarch wrote that the great Hannibal said that Pyrrhus was the greatest army commander the world had ever seen, however, in his "Titus Quinctius Flamininus", Plutarch commented that Pyrrhus was second only to Alexander the Great.

Answer: Alaric I

Interestingly, Alaric I served for a time as a commander of the Roman army before being elected king of the Visigoths; apparently after the death of the emperor, Theodosius I, the Visigoths believed the peace that had been negotiated with him would end.

The Roman historian Osorius wrote that all Alaric wanted to do was find a place within the empire where his people could settle, however, the Romans were unwilling to negotiate. After trying to come for over 18 months to come to an agreement, Alaric finally allowed his army to sack Rome.

This sacking by the Visigoths in 410 was the first time Rome had been under attack since the Gauls invasion in 390 BC. It also signaled the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire, which had been precariously held together during years of decay.

Answer: Odoacer

As a leader of the Ostrogoths, or East Goths, Odoacer had once been the leader of a mercenary army that served Rome. This army, however, had become dissatisfied with its treatment under Emperor Augustulus, and revolted against his rule. Odoacer became the first King of Italy after attacks by his army forced the Augustulus to leave Rome in 476.

This action is considered to have brought about the end of the western Roman Empire. The Byzantine Emperor, Zeno, saw Odoacer as a threat to his rule, and had him killed in 493.