Roman Geography
Which mountain range forms a ridge down the middle of Italy, dividing the country from west to east?
A) Alps
B) Pyrenees
C) Apennine Mountains
D) Carpathian Mountains
Answer: C) Apennine Mountains
Which qualities were emphasized by the story of Horatius at the bridge as essential for Romans?
A) Wealth, power, and fame
B) Courage, duty, and determination
C) Intelligence, wisdom, and strategy
D) Loyalty, honor, and piety
Answer: B) Courage, duty, and determination
Who found and cared for Romulus and Remus after they were abandoned?
A) A she-bear
B) A she-wolf
C) A priestess
D) A fisherman
Answer: B) A she-wolf
Where was the homeland of the Etruscan civilization located?
A) Northern Italy
B) Southern Italy
C) Central Italy, in the area now known as Tuscany
D) Eastern coast of present-day Turkey
Answer: C) Central Italy, in the area now known as Tuscany
What was the primary responsibility of the praetor in ancient Rome?
A) Overseeing financial matters
B) Managing foreign affairs
C) In charge of civil law and could lead armies
D) Supervising public entertainment
Answer: C) In charge of civil law and could lead armies
Which of the following groups did Rome engage in almost continuous warfare with for 100 years until 338 BCE?
A) Greek communities
B) Etruscan states
C) Latin communities on the plain of Latium
D) Hill peoples from central Italy
Answer: C) Latin communities on the plain of Latium
Which of the following plains is located where Rome was situated?
A) Po River Valley
B) Plain of Latium
C) Campania
D) Plain of Sicily
Answer: B) Plain of Latium
Who was Aeneas, according to Roman legend?
A) A Roman senator
B) A Greek philosopher
C) The son of the goddess Venus and a Trojan hero
D) A Roman emperor
Answer: C) The son of the goddess Venus and a Trojan hero
What significant event occurred when Romulus and Remus grew up and learned about their origins?
A) They became the rulers of a neighboring kingdom
B) They avenged their mother and founded the city of Rome
C) They returned to Troy to reclaim their heritage
D) They became priests in the temple of Mars
Answer: B) They avenged their mother and founded the city of Rome
What did modern historians and DNA studies reveal about the origins of the Etruscan people?
A) They originated from Lydia in present-day Turkey
B) They were an Indigenous population of Italy
C) They migrated from Greece
D) They were descendants of Egyptian settlers
Answer: B) They were an indigenous population of Italy
Which of the following assemblies in ancient Rome was organized by classes based on wealth?
A) Council of the Plebs
B) Centuriate Assembly
C) Senate
D) Tribal Assembly
Answer: B) Centuriate Assembly
What was a significant cultural influence that Greek colonies had on Italy?
A) Introduction of advanced military strategies
B) Cultivation of olives and grapes
C) Development of new legal systems
D) Establishment of a unified government
Answer: B) Cultivation of olives and grape
Which sea lies to the east of Italy?
A) Tyrrhenian Sea
B) Adriatic Sea
C) Ionian Sea
D) Mediterranean Sea
Answer: B) Adriatic Sea
Which city did Aeneas eventually settle in after escaping from the sacking of Troy, according to legend?
A) Athens
B) Carthage
C) Rome
D) Sparta
Answer: C) Rome
How did Romulus become the first king of Rome?
A) He was elected by the people
B) He inherited the throne from his father
C) He killed his brother Remus in an argument
D) He was appointed by the gods
Answer: C) He killed his brother Remus in an argument
Which of the following did the Etruscans pass on to the Romans?
A) Their monarchy system
B) The Greek alphabet
C) Gladiatorial games
D) The Latin language
Answer: C) Gladiatorial games
The Council of the Plebs was created as a result of conflicts between which two groups?
A) Soldiers and citizens
B) Merchants and artisans
C) Patricians and Plebeians
D) Senators and governors
Answer: C) Patricians and Plebeians
By 267 BCE, Rome had completed the conquest of southern Italy by defeating which group?
A) Etruscan states
B) Greek cities
C) Latin communities
D) Hill peoples from central Italy
Answer: B) Greek cities
Which large island lies just west of the "toe" of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula?
A) Corsica
B) Sardinia
C) Sicily
D) Malta
Answer: C) Sicily
Who were the parents of Romulus and Remus?
A) Jupiter and Juno
B) Mars and Rhea Silvia
C) Saturn and Ops
D) Neptune and Minerva
Answer: B) Mars and Rhea Silvia
What is the traditional date for the founding of Rome by Romulus?
A) 1000 BCE
B) 509 BCE
C) 753 BCE
D) 500 BCE
Answer: C) 753 BCE
What caused the decline of Etruscan power between the late 6th and early 4th centuries BCE?
A) Natural disasters and plagues
B) Invasion by the Egyptians
C) The rise of Greek city-states in Sicily and southern Italy, and Gallic invasions in the north
D) Economic collapse due to loss of trade
Answer: C) The rise of Greek city-states in Sicily and southern Italy, and Gallic invasions in the north
By 287 BCE, all Roman citizens were:
A) Required to join the military
B) Equal under the law and could strive for political office
C) Exempt from paying taxes
D) Only able to vote in local elections
Answer: B) Equal under the law and could strive for political office
What was the purpose of the Roman Confederation established in 338 BCE?
A) To divide Italy into independent regions
B) To allow some conquered peoples to gain Roman citizenship
C) To unify Greek and Roman military forces
D) To abolish the power of the Senate
Answer: B) To allow some conquered peoples to gain Roman citizenship
Which two large islands are located west of Italy?
A) Sicily and Malta
B) Corsica and Sardinia
C) Cyprus and Crete
D) Balearic Islands
Answer: B) Corsica and Sardinia
What happened to Romulus and Remus after they were born?
A) They were raised in a royal palace
B) They were set adrift on the Tiber River in a reed basket
C) They were sent to live with a Greek philosopher
D) They were immediately crowned as kings of Rome
Answer: B) They were set adrift on the Tiber River in a reed basket
According to legend, how many kings ruled Rome between 753 BCE and 509 BCE?
A) Five
B) Seven
C) Ten
D) Twelve
Answer: B) Seven
How did the Etruscans influence early Roman architecture?
A) They introduced Egyptian pyramid designs
B) They provided the early Romans with urban infrastructure, including walls, forums, and drainage systems
C) They taught the Romans how to build wooden houses
D) They introduced Gothic architecture
Answer: B) They provided the early Romans with urban infrastructure, including walls, forums, and drainage systems
Which of the following statements is true about the Roman Senate during the Republic?
A) It was open to all Roman citizens
B) It came to hold an especially important position in the republic
C) It only dealt with military matters
D) It was entirely composed of plebeians
Answer: B) It came to hold an especially important position in the republic
Under the Roman Confederation, what was required of most of the allied communities?
A) They had to adopt Roman religion
B) They had to provide soldiers for Rome
C) They had to pay a heavy tribute
D) They had to relocate to Rome
Answer: B) They had to provide soldiers for Rome