Pompeii & Herculaneum
Sparta
Agrippina the Younger
The Julio - Claudians
General Knowledge
100

What volcano erupted in AD 79 and destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum?

Mount Vesuvius

100

What was the name of the Spartan education and military training system?

The agoge.

100

Which emperor was Agrippina's son?

Nero

100

Who became emperor after Augustus in AD 14?

Tiberius

100

Which river runs through the city of Rome?

The Tiber River

200

Which Roman author provides the most detailed eyewitness account of the eruption of Vesuvius?

Pliny the Younger

200

Who were the helots, and where did most of them come from?

The helots were state-owned agricultural workers. Most came from Messenia after it was conquered by Sparta.

200

Which emperor did Agrippina marry?


Claudius

200

Which emperor built the Domus Aurea after the Great Fire of Rome?


Nero

200

Name the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

  • Great Pyramid of Giza
  • Hanging Gardens of Babylon
  • Statue of Zeus at Olympia
  • Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
  • Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
  • Colossus of Rhodes
  • Lighthouse of Alexandria
300

Explain one difference in the way Pompeii and Herculaneum were preserved.

Pompeii was mainly buried by ash and pumice, while Herculaneum was buried by pyroclastic flows, preserving timber, food and other organic materials

300

Explain why the helot system was essential to Spartan society.

The helots farmed the land and produced food, allowing Spartan citizens to devote their lives to military training. Their labour supported Sparta's economy and military lifestyle

300

Explain TWO ways Agrippina increased her political influence during Claudius' reign.

  • Married Claudius.
  • Secured Nero's adoption.
  • Promoted Nero over Britannicus.
  • Appeared on coins.
  • Received the title Augusta.
  • Influenced imperial appointments.
300

Explain why succession was one of the greatest challenges facing the Julio-Claudian emperors.

There was no formal system of succession. Emperors relied on adoption, family relationships, military support and the Praetorian Guard, often creating political instability.

300

Who is the eyewitness account of Vesuvius

Pliny the Younger

400

Identify ONE limitation historians face when using archaeological evidence from Pompeii.

  • Early excavations damaged evidence
  • Looting occurred
  • Restoration may alter interpretation
  • Much of the city remains unexcavated
400

Analyse TWO reasons why Sparta was able to dominate Greece during the fifth century BC.

  • Superior military training through the agoge.
  • Strict discipline and social organisation.
  • Strong alliances through the Peloponnesian League.
  • Effective leadership during the Peloponnesian War.
400

Why do modern historians treat Tacitus' account of Agrippina with caution?

  • Tacitus was a senator.
  • He wrote decades later.
  • He disliked imperial corruption.
  • Roman writers often portrayed powerful women negatively.
  • His work reflects moral and political bias.
400

Analyse TWO factors that contributed to the collapse of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

  • Nero's loss of military support.
  • Political assassinations.
  • Poor succession planning.
  • Revolts in the provinces.
  • Influence of the Praetorian Guard.
  • Financial difficulties.
400

Which Roman emperor adopted Christianity and founded Constantinople?

Constantine the Great

500

Evaluate the importance of the archaeological evidence from Pompeii and Herculaneum for understanding Roman daily life

discuss social classes, houses, economy, religion, entertainment, urban planning and the exceptional preservation of archaeological evidence.

500

Assess the significance of the Battle of Leuctra (371 BC) for Spartan history.


  • The defeat by Thebes under Epaminondas.
  • The breaking of Spartan military dominance.
  • Heavy losses of Spartan citizens.
  • Liberation of Messenia.
  • Beginning of Sparta's long-term decline.
500

" Agrippina was the true ruler of Rome during Claudius' reign."

To what extent do you agree?


  • Her political influence.
  • Control over succession.
  • Influence on Claudius.
  • Limits to her authority.
  • Opposition within the imperial court. 
500

Assess the overall success of the Julio-Claudian emperors between AD 14 and AD 69.


  • Administrative reforms.
  • Military expansion.
  • Building projects.
  • Political instability.
  • Assassinations.
  • Succession crises.
  • The Year of the Four Emperors.
500

Which emperor became Rome's first emperor after the defeat of Mark Antony?

Augustus

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