Virgil Geographical and Historical References

Question 1

Alba Longa

Answer 1

The city which will be founded by Aeneas’ son Ascanius

South East of modern Rome

Question 2

Argos

Answer 2

Greek city which houses temple to Juno

In the Eastern Peloponnese

Question 3

Carthage

Answer 3

Dido’s new city she is building on the North coast of Africa

Modern day Tunisia

Question 4

Hebrus

Answer 4

A Greek river in Thrace (Northern Greece)

Question 5

Illyria

Answer 5

Area in the Balkans conquered by the Romans

North East of Greece, roughly where Croatia is today

Question 6

Italy

Answer 6

The country Aeneas is journeying to, in which he will found a new city for the Trojans
East from Greece and Troy

Question 7

Latium

Answer 7

The kingdom in Italy which Aeneas will eventually conquer

South East of modern day Rome

Question 8

Lavinium

Answer 8

The name which Aeneas’ city will have in Italy, named after his new wife Lavinia
South East of modern Rome

Question 9

Liburnia

Answer 9

Homeland of the Liburnian people

Modern day Croatia

Question 10

Libya

Answer 10

Country in North Africa in which Carthage is being built

Originally referred to the whole of North Africa

Question 11

Mycenae

Answer 11

Menelaus’ homeland

A city in the Eastern Peloponnese

Question 12

Padua

Answer 12

Place where Antenor settled
Close to modern day Venice in North East Italy
Virgil’s birthplace

Question 13

Paphos

Answer 13

Venus’ home in western Cyprus

An island in the Mediterranean east of Greece

Question 14

Pergamum

Answer 14

Alternative name for Troy

Question 15

Phoenicia

Answer 15

The region of the Middle East which covers modern Syria and Lebanon

Question 16

Phrygia

Answer 16

Region of Turkey East of Troy

Question 17

Phthia

Answer 17

Achilles’ homeland

In a province of North Eastern Greece called Thessaly

Question 18

Rome

Answer 18

City founded by Romulus

On the Western coast of Central Italy

Question 19

Samos

Answer 19

City sacred to Juno

A Greek island in the Eastern Aegean Sea, separated from Turkey by the mile-wide Mycale Strait

Question 20

Siculus

Answer 20

Sicilian (from Sicily)

Sicily is an island at the South West tip of Italy, North of Carthage

Question 21

Sparta

Answer 21

A major Greek city famous for warriors

In the Southern Peloponnese

Question 22

Thrace

Answer 22

A region of Greece covering modern day Greece, Southern Bulgaria and Western Turkey

Question 23

Tiber

Answer 23

A river in Central Italy running through Rome

Question 24

Timavus

Answer 24

A river in North Eastern Italy

Question 25

Troy

Answer 25

The city which was destroyed during the Trojan War In modern day Western Turkey Where Aeneas used to live

Question 26

Tyre

Answer 26

Dido's birthplace | On the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean in modern day Lebanon

Question 27

Xanthus

Answer 27

A river outside Troy in modern day Western Turkey

Question 28

Rutulians

Answer 28

A tribe resident in Latium who battle the Trojans upon their arrival

Question 29

A Trojan Caesar

Answer 29

Although it is ambiguous at first whether Virgil is referring to Julius Caesar or Augustus Caesar, it becomes clearer with the reference to 'Eastern spoils' and closing the Gates of War

Question 30

The Gates of War

Answer 30

Formed the entrance to the Temple of Janus in Rome Were only closed during times of peace Augustus closed them in 29BC, apparently for only the third time in Rome's history However, he did continue to wage wars to conquer more of Europe, but he was more discreet about it

Question 31

Agenor

Answer 31

An ancestor of Dido from Tyre

Question 32

Byrsa

Answer 32

The land enclosed by the walls of the stronghold of Carthage The name probably comes from the Akkadian word 'birtu', which was misunderstood as 'bursa' meaning bull's hide. This is where the story comes from about enclosing as much land as possible with a bull's hide cut up into very thin strips

Question 33

Sidon

Answer 33

The founder of Tyre, Dido's homeland

Question 34

Tempe

Answer 34

A valley in Northern Greece

Question 35

Peneus

Answer 35

A river flowing through the Tempe valley

Question 36

Thymbra

Answer 36

A town in the Troad (North West Turkey) where Apollo had a famous temple

Question 37

Miletus

Answer 37

An ancient Greek city on the Western coast of Anatolia, famous for its beautiful fleeces

Question 38

Phasis

Answer 38

A river in Colchis (on the Black Sea)

Question 39

Lycus

Answer 39

A river in Asia Minor

Question 40

Enipeus

Answer 40

A river in Thessaly (Norther Greece) which flowed into the river Peneus

Question 41

Anio

Answer 41

A river near Rome

Question 42

Hypanis

Answer 42

A river in Scythia (modern day Iran)

Question 43

Caicus

Answer 43

A river in Mysia in Asia Minor

Question 44

Eridanus

Answer 44

A river in Italy, the ancient name for the River Po

Question 45

Maeonia

Answer 45

Another name for Lydia, modern day Turkey

Question 46

Carpathian Sea

Answer 46

The sea around the island of Carpathos, between Crete and Rhodes

Question 47

Emathia

Answer 47

The vague area around Thessaly and Macedonia

Question 48

Pallene

Answer 48

A town in Macedonia | Proteus' homeland according to one myth

Question 49

Rhodope

Answer 49

A mountain in Thrace

Question 50

Pangaea

Answer 50

A mountain in Thrace

Question 51

Getae

Answer 51

A Northern people associated with Thrace

Question 52

Taenarum

Answer 52

The location of one of the fabled entrances to the underworld In the extreme South of Greece

Question 53

Avernus

Answer 53

The location of one of the fabled entrances to the underworld Near Naples

Question 54

Strymon

Answer 54

A river in Thrace

Question 55

Tanais

Answer 55

A major river (now called the Don) to the north of Greece with its source in the Riphaei mountains

Question 56

Ciconi

Answer 56

A people from Thrace known for their violence

Question 57

Oeagrus

Answer 57

A king of Thrace, father of Orpheus

Question 58

Teucrian

Answer 58

Trojan. Teucer was one of the first kings of Troy, not to be confused with Teucer, Greek archer and brother of Telamonian Ajax