Culture And Context

Question 1

What was a temple usually thought as?

Answer 1

A house where a divine being lived

Question 2

Where in a temple did the Romans keep gifts for the Gods?

Answer 2

In their treasuries

Question 3

Where was the architecture of the temples inspired from?

Answer 3

The Greeks

Question 4

Name 2 features of a Roman or Greek temple

Answer 4

Tall columns, decorative sculpture

Question 5

Who was the pantheon built by and who was it dedicated to?

Answer 5

It was built by Marcus Agrippa and was dedicated to all the gods at once

Question 6

What does the name ‘pantheon’ mean?

Answer 6

Everything divine

Question 7

Which emperor rebuilt the pantheon?

Answer 7

Emperor Hadrian

Question 8

Where is the pantheon?

Answer 8

Rome

Question 9

Why did romans have priests and priestesses?

Answer 9

So they could look to them to help them understand the will of the gods

Question 10

Which priest lived his whole life under special restrictions?

Answer 10

Flamen Dialis

Question 11

Why did many Romans want to be a priest?

Answer 11

For the social prestige

Question 12

What did the restrictions that Flamen Dialis had affect in his life?

Answer 12

These restrictions affected what he could eat, wear and do.

Question 13

To mark Flamen Dialis’s importance, what did the Romans do?

Answer 13

They paid for his house and automatically made him a member of the senate

Question 14

What did the prayers at a sacrifice state clearly?

Answer 14

They stated clearly which God or Goddess they were giving the sacrifice to and if the sacrifice was being made in thanks for something, it stayed clearly what that was.

Question 15

How was the sacrifice taken up to the Gods?

Answer 15

The animals thigh bone would be wrapped in fat and burned and the smoke would take the sacrifice up to the Gods

Question 16

If a sacrifice to the Gods was too expensive, what could a Roman do instead?

Answer 16

They could offer a libation

Question 17

Name two ways a libation offering could be made:

Answer 17

It could be placed in a bowl on an altar and a prayer would be said telling the God or Goddess that it was a gift for them. Another way is that it could be a libation to the Gods of the underworld so it was poured straight onto the ground

Question 18

Name 4 liquids Romans would offer to the Gods as a libation:

Answer 18

Wine, honey, oil, milk

Question 19

How could a Roman get a God to punish someone else?

Answer 19

They could write on a small tablet called a Defixiones

Question 20

What materials were curse tablets made out of?

Answer 20

Thin sheets of lead, clay, wood or papyrus (an early type of paper)

Question 21

Name three places curse tablets were put after they were written:

Answer 21

They were often rolled up and thrown into water, buried in the ground or placed somewhere significant such as a tomb

Question 22

What was the place of perfect happiness in the underworld called?

Answer 22

Elysium or the Elysian Fields

Question 23

Why would a Roman go to the Elysian Fields?

Answer 23

They would go if they had lived a particularly good life

Question 24

What was the bad part of the underworld called?

Answer 24

Tartarus

Question 25

When did Romans believe punishment was going to happen?

Answer 25

Romans believed that the Gods would inflict a punishment before death

Question 26

Which god did Saturnalia honour?

Answer 26

Saturn

Question 27

What made celebrations of the Saturnalia different from most other Roman festivals?

Answer 27

Everyone in Rome participated, even slaves

Question 28

What’s the best part of celebrating Saturnalia?

Answer 28

The banquet because everyone attends, and it’s all to honour Saturn

Question 29

Which animals did the Romans sacrifice for Lupercalia?

Answer 29

Dogs and goats

Question 30

Why might a Roman wish to be struck with a bloody strip of goat skin during the Lupercalia?

Answer 30

Because it was thought that it would help anyone who was struck to have a baby.

Question 31

Which gods did chariot racing usually honour?

Answer 31

Sol and luna

Question 32

How many horses pulled a chariot?

Answer 32

4-6

Question 33

How many chariots competed in a race?

Answer 33

4-12

Question 34

What were the four colours of chariot teams?

Answer 34

Red, white, blue or green

Question 35

How many laps were there in a typical chariot race?

Answer 35

7 laps

Question 36

What were gladiatorial shows originally part of?

Answer 36

Funeral ceremonies

Question 37

Did gladiators always fight to the death?

Answer 37

No

Question 38

Name the most famous gladiatorial arena in Rome:

Answer 38

The colosseum

Question 39

What was the name of the main race track in Rome?

Answer 39

Circus Maximus

Question 40

What did Chariots look like?

Answer 40

The Roman chariot was a two- or four-wheeled cart usually pulled by horses. The chariots used in racing were two-wheeled and made of wood so that they were lightweight. This made the chariots perfect for maneuvering around the track; however, it would have provided little protection for the rider.

Question 41

What was the Circus Maximus like?

Answer 41

Because of its size, the Circus Maximus could host huge gatherings and so was a popular venue during the games. Like in the Colosseum's games, there were races and entertainment all day, it was about the races but also being at the venue and mixing with a wider section of society.

Question 42

Who was Spartacus?

Answer 42

Spartacus was a Roman slave and gladiator who led a revolt against Rome, which turned into the Third Servile War.

Question 43

Name an item of clothing a secutor wore:

Answer 43

A greave

Question 44

Name the 5 gladiators:

Answer 44

Secutor, murmillo, hoplomachus, retiarus, thraex

Question 45

Why was the murmillo called the fishman?

Answer 45

Because he had a fish on his helmet

Question 46

What weapons did a retarius have?

Answer 46

Trident, dagger, net