History Extravaganza

Who escaped Lars Porsenna and led young women back to Rome?

• Tarpeia
• Lucretia
• Tullia Minor
• Cloelia

Answer explanation

Cloelia escaped from Lars Porsenna and the Etruscan camp and led several young women back to Rome. They had to dodge arrows as they swam across the Tiber!

How many vultures did Remus see flying overhead as a sign he should rule the city?

• Four
• Six
• Eight
• Ten
• Twelve

Answer explanation

The brothers practiced augury to determine which hill should provide the location for the city. Romulus saw 12 vultures from the Palatine Hill and Remus saw 6 vultures from the Aventine Hill.

Who was the third king of Rome?

• Ancus Marcius
• Numa Pompilius
• Servius Tullius
• Tullus Hostilius

Answer explanation

Who was both the wife and niece of the same emperor in addition to surviving many attmepts on her life by her son (who eventually killed her via assasins after the other tries didn't work)?

• Octavia the Younger
• Livia Drusilla
• Valeria Messalina
• Agrippina the Younger

Answer explanation

Agrippina the Younger was a cutthroat and immensely savvy woman. Mother of Nero (and arguably the reason he actually got to the throne), Agrippina found ways to get rid of old husbands and marry Emperor Claudius (who was her uncle). She was also going to be killed by Nero (tried sinking her ship: she swam to shore but the friend with her called out that she (the friend) was Agrippina, causing the sailors to come back and drown her, which just allowed her to live. Nero also gave her poison (she was immune somehow), but Nero then just sent people to her front door to kill her, and she knew it was coming so when they got there she was very dramatic saying something along the lines of, "Ohh no! You are here to kill me, I guess you are just going to kill the womb that birthed the emperor".

At what battle did the Romans defeat Hannibal by strategy, despite having over 10,000 men less than the Carthaginians?

• Battle of Carthage
• Hannibal's worst nightmare
• Battle of Zama
• Battle of Cannae

Answer explanation

Battle of Zama was a huge defeat of the Carthaginians in the Second Punic War where Scipio Africanus absolutely destroyed Hannibal despite being massively outnumbered -- also a BIG turning point in the war, thanks to the strategies of Scipio Africanus!

What group of Romans refused to fight for Rome because of their overwhelming debt and taxes? They seceded from the city to the Aventine Hill several times.

• Plebs
• Patricians
• Equestrians
• Senate
• Consuls

Answer explanation

Basically here what happened was the Secession of the Plebs where taxes and debt was going up with the start of the republic and they were not fans, so Publius Servilius tried to talk with them to help with the invaders, and the agreed as long as they could bring the debt convo back after Rome was safe. BUT the other consul(Appius Claudius) made a HUGE mistake and bassically did not bring it back, instead cracking down really hard on people who were in debt, and this spiralled into the secession of the plebs -- basically think a giant power struggle between the rich and the poor.

Which pair of combatants famously faced off in a legendary duel of honor to settle a dispute between Rome and Alba Longa?

• Romulus & Remus
• Horatii & Curiatii
• Julius & Augustus
• Marc Antony & Cleopatra

What battle did Castor and Pollux help Rome win in 496?

• Silva Arsia
• Mount Garus
• Lake Regillus
• Allia River

Who was the Etruscan king of Clusium who is known for his siege of Rome and the battle in which Horatius Cocles defended the city?

• Pliny the Elder
• Aruns
• Lars Porsenna
• Servius Tullius

Answer explanation

Lars Porsenna led the Etruscans in battle against Rome. He is the king featured in the stories of Scaevola burning his hand to prove his bravery, Cloelia swimming across the Tiber to escape captivity, and Horatius Cocles tearing down a bridge to defend Rome.

What would-be assassin was nicknamed "lefty" because he burned his right hand in fire to show his determination to help Rome.

• Appius Claudius Pulcher
• Gaius Mucius Scaevola
• Gaius Gracchus
• L. Licinius Crassus