The Kingdom
Who founded Rome?
Romulus and Remus were the founders of Rome.
How many Punic Wars did Rome fight against Carthage?
Who was the first Roman emperor?
What are the five main Roman vowels?
The five main Roman vowels are A, E, I, O, and U.
(Y was also a vowel but rare.)
What is the English for Veni, vidi, vici?
'I came, I saw, I conquered.'
What animal nursed the twin founders of Rome before they were found by a shepherd?
The she-wolf (lupa) found and nursed the twins before the shepherd Faustulus raised them.
What general of Carthage defeated the Romans several times?
Hannibal Barca crushed the Romans in three battles.
(Trebia, Lake Trasimene, and Cannae.)
Which emperor blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome?
Nero, the fifth emperor, blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome.
(He may have started it himself, though.)
How many letters does the Roman alphabet have?
The Roman alphabet has 23 letters.
(It is the same as the English but without J, U, or W. Modern Latin, however, uses U.)
What do Urbs Aeterna and Caput Mundi refer to?
Both sayings are names for Rome.
(Urbs Aeterna is 'The Eternal City,' and Caput Mundi is 'Head of the World.')
What Trojan hero escaped Troy and was the ancestor of the founders of Rome?
Aeneas and his family escaped Troy, and from them descended the founders of Rome.
(Rome is like the new Troy.)
What island did Carthage and Rome fight over in the first Punic War?
In the first Punic War, Carthage and Rome mostly fought over Sicily.
What Roman emperor tried to make his horse consul and was killed by his own bodyguard?
Caligula, the third Roman emperor, tried to make his horse consul and was killed by the Praetorian Guard.
(He also tried to make people worship him and killed anyone whom he thought endangered his power.)
What is a diphthong?
A diphthong is two vowels that make one sound.
(Examples are AE, AU, and OE.)
What is the English for Sic transit gloria mundi?
'So passes the glory of the world.'
How did Horatius defend Rome against the invading Etruscan army?
Horatius and two friends defended a bridge over the Tiber while the other Romans destroyed it.
(After the bridge was destroyed, Horatius swam back across.)
Who joined Julius Caesar in the First Triumvirate?
Crassus and Pompey formed the First Triumvirate with Caesar.
What Christian was condemned to death by being shot with arrows, and then survived and was condemned a second time?
Sebastian survived being shot with arrows, then confronted the emperor a second time and was killed, a martyr.
What makes C and G soft ('ch'/'j') instead of hard ('k'/'g')?
C and G are soft before E, I, and diphthongs.
What is the Latin for 'Seize the day.'
Carpe diem.
Why did Porsena make peace with Rome after meeiting Mucius?
Mucius set his right hand in the fire, which impressed and frignened Porsena so that he made a Peace treaty.
Who were the leaders the senatorial conspiracy and against Julius Caesar?
Brutus and Cassius let the other senators to kill Julius Caesar.
(They were cautious and jealous of his power.)
Who was the last emperor of Rome?
Romulus Augustus, the last emperor, surrendered Rome to Odoacer the King.
What two Latin letters are regularly used both as vowels and as consonants?
V and I are usable both as vowels (U/I) and as consonants (W/Y).
What is the Latin for 'He who gives quickly, gives twice?'
Bis dat qui cito dat.