Stage 22 Culture Quiz

All the offerings from recovered from the spring at Aquae Sulis have been blessings and praises for the gods.

• True: As the fountain was a sacred place, only blessings were allowed

• True: Any curses were destroyed by the priests before they could take effect.

• False: Many of the offerings dedicated people to the gods of the underworld

• False: There were no offering recovered from the spring at Aquae Sulis.

Curses were always written on paper.

• True

• False: Usually curses were written on lead or pewter.

• False: One would never write down a curse for fear of being caught

• False: Curses would be carved into the gravestone of the person who was the desired target.

A defixio was:

• The name of a sacred spring

• A curse tablet

• A god of the underworld

• A cursed person

The method of putting a curse on someone followed a general formula.

• True: Although there was some variation, the same information would be needed each time.

• True: Every curse tablet is exactly the same.

• False: curses varied widely; some don't even have the name of the person to be cursed!

• False: If a curse was similar to another curse, it would not work.

If the offender was unknown, the curse tablet would provide a list of suspects.

• False: If the offender was not known, the curse would not work.

• True

• False: An offender would never be named.

• False: It was far more important for the writer of a curse tablet to include his own name.

Which of the following was a place that a curse tablet might be left? (Check all which apply)

• Thrown into a well or Spring

• Fastened to a tomb

• Attached to the offender's own door.

• Placed under the writer's pillow, so that the gods could find it.

Over 100, 000 curse tablets have been found in the spring at Aquae Sulis.

• True

• False: No curse tablets were found in the spring at Aquae Sulis

• False: about 90 curse tablets have been found in the spring at Aquae Sulis

• False: Over 100, 000 curse tablets have been found in Britain

Which of the following was a way a curser might try to increase the mystery of the cursing process. (check all which apply)

• Writing the curse backwards

• Writing the offender's name on the outside of the curse tablet

• Writing a simple curse, starting with "I dedicate"

• Writing nonsense words

omina are:

• everything

• omens

• offerings

• curse tablets

Which of the following are Roman superstitions? (Check all that apply)

• avoiding certain days to marry

• crossing the threshold with the right foot

• Avoiding seeing a black cat on festival days

• Staying home after a bad dream.