National Junior Classical League 2002
Roman History
1. The Gallic victory over the Romans at ___ led to the sack of Rome c. 390 b.c.
a) Allia River
b) Mt. Algidus
c) Ardea
d) Circeii
2. According to Roman legends, which of the following was (were) nursed by a she-wolf?
a) Horatius
b) Romulus
c) Mastarna
d) b and c
3. Although the most famous column erected by an emperor showed Trajan’s victories, ____ also erected a column
showing his victories over the Marcomanni.
a) Hadrian
b) Antoninus Pius
c) M. Aurelius
d) Commodus
4. Which Roman commander finally captured the city of Numantia in 133 b.c.?
a) Ti. Sempronius Gracchus
b) Q. Pompeius
c) P. Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus
d) Q. Caecilius Metellus
5. Who restored order after the Antonine Wall in Scotland was overrun during the first year of Commodus’ reign?
a) Q. Lollius Urbicus
b) Ulpius Marcellus
c) P. Helvius Pertinax
d) Calpurnius Agricola
6. Durning whose reign did the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius take place?
a) Claudius
b) Titus
c) Vespasian
d) Nero
7. What was the relationship between C. Julius Caesar and Augustus, the first emperor?
a) father : son
b) uncle : nephew
c) grand-uncle : grand-nephew
d) a and b
8. Which man was NOT a member of the First Triumvirate?
a) M. Antonius
b) M. Licinius Crassus
c) Cn. Pompeius Magnus
d) C. Julius Caesar
9. The emperor Probus had largely restored order to the empire when the troops in Raetia declared ___ emperor
and Probus’ own troops mutinied under his severe discipline and murdered him.
a) Carus
b) Diocletian
c) Claudius Gothicus
d) Maximian
10. Which emperor established the Praetorian Guard?
a) Augustus
b) Tiberius
c) Gaius
11. Where did the Romans defeat the Carthaginians in 202 b.c.?
a) Cannae
b) Zama
c) Baecula
d) Nero
d) Campi Magni
12. Which Roman-approved king of Armenia did the Parthian Chosroes depose, thus starting a war with Trajan?
a) Pacorus
b) Axidares
c) Parthamasiris
d) Parthamaspates
13. M. Aemilius Lepidus tried to unravel the "Sullan Constitution." Lepidus' co-consul, however, opposed
him. Who was the consul of 78 b.c. who fought for the cause of Sulla and the Senate?
a) M.Junius Brutus
b) Livius Drusus
c) C. Licinius Macer
d) Q. Lutatius Catulus
14. According to Polybius, the sack of ____ in 262 b.c.proved a turning point in the war against Carthage, and the
Romans aimed at nothing less than the conquest of Sicily thereafter.
a) Syracuse
b) Agrigentum
c) Messana
d) Lilybaeum
2
15. According to tradition, which king's rule lasted from 534-510 b.c.?
a) Numa Pompilius
b) Tarquinius Priscus
c) Servius Tullius
d) Tarquinius Superbus
16. The Senate first gave the command against Mithridates to L. Cornelius Sulla; C. Marius managed to have the
Comitia Tributa grant it to him instead through the work of the tribune________.
a) M. Livius Drusus the Younger
b) P. Sulpicius Rufus
c) M’. Aquilius
d) M. Plautius Silvanus
17. At which battle did C. Julius Caesar decisively defeat his great rival of the Civil War, Cn. Pompeius Magnus?
a) Dyrrhachium
b) Thapsus
c) Pharsalus
d) Munda
18. For which emperor did the freedman Pallas serve as a treasurer?
a) Nero
b) Elagabalus
c) Commodus
d) Claudius
19. Which tribune of 122 b.c. founded the colony of Junonia near the ruins of Carthage?
a) Ti. Sempronius Gracchus
b) C. Sempronius Gracchus
c) C. Sulpicius Rufus
d) M. Octavius
20. Although the nominal command of the Roman army that invaded Parthia and captured Ctesiphon and Seleucia
belonged to L. Verus, its real commander was ______.
a) C. Calpurnius Crassus
b) Lusius Quietus
c) Statius Priscus
d) Avidius Cassius
21. Which man did the poet Ennius call "the man who singly saved the state by patience" because of his delaying
tactics and refusal to meet Hannibal in a pitched battle?
a) C. Terentius Varro
b) L. Aemilius Paulus
c) Q. Fabius Maximus
d) M. Minucius Rufus
22. In the battle of _____, Octavian defeated his final rival and became, de facto, the first Roman emperor.
a) Philippi
b) Actium
c) Mutina
d) Naulochus
23. After the Praetorian guard had murdered Commodus’ successor, to whom did they sell the throne?
a) P. Helvius Pertinax
b) Didius Julianus
c) Pescennius Niger
d) Clodius Albinus
24. Which Roman scholar is responsible for setting the date of the founding of Rome to 753 b.c.?
a) Fabius Pictor
b) Cato the Elder
c) Q. Ennius
d) M. Terrentius Varro
25. The Flavian emperors enlarged the senate by adding members from the ranks of outstanding provincials by
using their power as censor. What was this right of a censor to add to the senate called?
a) iuridicus
b) adlectio
c) coloniae deductae
d) collegia iuvenum
26. Which Carthaginian leader raided Italy and defeated the Romans at Mt. Hercte between 247 and 242 b.c.?
a) Hamilcar Barca
b) Adherbal
c) Hanno the Great
d) Hannibal
27. Who was the king of Palmyra that regained Roman power in the East for Gallienus?
a) Macrianus.
b) Vaballathus.
c) Odaenathus.
d) Callistus.
28. Which emperor eventually destroys Palmyra because of the overweening ambition of its queen, Zenobia?
a) Gallienus
b) Postumus
c) Claudius Gothicus
d) Aurelian
29. Which man set himself up as a third Augustus in Britain during the reign of Diocletian?
a) Numerianus
b) Carinus
c) Tetricus
d) Carausius
30. Which German king did C. Julius Caesar defeat during his first campaign in Gaul?
a) Decebalus
b) Vologeses
c) Arminius
d) Ariovistus
3
31. Which Hellenistic ruler bequeathed Pergamum to Rome in 133 b.c.?
a) Prusias I
b) Eumenes II
c) Attalus III
d) Nicomedes IV
32. Vespasian blocked grain shipments from Egypt while 20,000 of his troops marched toward Rome. To whom
did Vespasian give the command of these troops?
a) Titus
b) Domitian
c) Flavius Sabinus
d) C. Licinius Mucianus
33. Which man suceeded Tiberius?
a) Claudius
b) Caligula
c) Drusus the Younger
d) Germanicus
34. Which Gothic leader sacked Rome in 410 b.c.?
a) Odoacer
b) Ricimer
c) Vortigern
d) Alaric
35. Where did Septimius Severus defeat Pescennius Niger?
a) Issus
b) Lugdunum
c) Bedriacum
d) Cremona
36. What did the Lex Poetelia Papiria of 326 b.c. do?
a) Reduced the legal interest rate to 4 1/6 %
b) Outlawed the lending of money for interest
c) Made enslavement for debt illegal
d) Increased the number of pontiffs to 8 and required that four be plebeian
37. During this emperor’s reign the Roman Empire reached its greatest territorial expansion.
a) Marcus Aurelius
b) Constantine the Great
c) Trajan
d) Aurelian
38. This Roman king is credited with the destruction of Alba Longa.
a) Ancius Marcius
b) Tullius Hostilius
c) Romulus
d) Numa Pompilius
39. Who first built an aqueduct to supply water to Rome in 312 b.c.?
a) App. Claudius Caecus
b) Tarquinius Superbus
c) C. Licinius Stolo
d) C. Marcius Rutulus
40. Which enemy did the Romans defeat at the Battle of Telamon in 225 b.c.?
a) Carthage
b) Sardinians
c) Gauls
d) Queen Teuta
41. Which law legalized the Second Triumvirate?
a) Lex Julia
b) Lex Titia
d) Lex Vatinia
c) Lex Attia
42. Which battle of 207 b.c. saw the Romans defeat and kill Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal?
a) Genoa
b) Metaurus River
c) Baecula
d) Ilipa
43. After C. Marius had reorganized the Roman Legion, he defeated the Teutones near ____ in 102 b.c.
a) Arausio
b) Vercellae
c) Aquae Sextiae
d) Tolosa
44. Which rival did Constantine defeat at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge?
a) Maxentius
b) Maximinus
c) Licinius
d) Galerius
45. M. Tullius Cicero made the conspiracy of Catiline famous with his speeches. Who was Cicero’s co-consul
durning this conspiracy?
a) L. Julius Caesar
b) C. Antonius Hybrida
c) M. Licinius Crassus
d) Q. Caecilius Metellus Celer
46. This Lusitanian commander inflicted a series of defeats upon the Rome between 146 and 141 b.c.
a) Q. Sertorius
b) Masinissa
c) Viriathus
d) Minho
4
47. During the reign of Gallienus invaders came through nearly every frontier of the empire. Which of the
following was NOT one of the invading groups?
a) Franks.
b) Marcomanni.
c) Chatti.
d) Persians.
48. Which commander of the upper Rhine attempted a revolt against Domitian in 89 a.d.?
a) A. Caecina
b) C. Julius Civilis
c) A. Lappius Maximus Norbanus
d) L. Antonius Saturninus
49. M. Vipsanius Agrippa, Augustus’ right hand man, was the grandfather of the emperor _______
a) Tiberius.
b) Claudius.
c) Caligula.
d) Nero.
50. Baptized on his death-bed, this man became the first Christian emperor.
a) Julian
b) Constantine
c) Diocletian
d) Constantius Chlorus
51. Upon what basis do some historians reject many names in the consular Fasti between 400 and 500 b.c.?
a) Poor correlation with the history of Diodorus Siculus
b) Appearance of plebeian names in the list
c) Fragmentary nature of the evidence
d) Deprecatory nature of Livy's remarks about the consular Fasti
52. How many wars did Rome fight against Samnium?
a) one
b) two
c) three
d) four
53. Who was responsible for establishing the res privata principis, a private treasury for the emperor?
a) Commodus
b) Nero
c) Diocletian
d) Septimius Severus
54. The murder of Agrippa Postumus, a deed called by Tacitus “primum facinus novi principatus” was the first act
of which emperor’s reign?
a) Caligula
b) Nero
c) Augustus
d) Tiberius
55. Which group defeated the Romans at Adrianople in 378 a.d. and killed the emperor Valens?
a) Huns
b) Persians
c) Visigoths
d) Vandals
56. Which city's appeal to Rome brought Rome and Carthage into conflict in the 2nd Punic War?
a) Saguntum
b) Caere
c) Syracuse
d) Messana
57. This consul of 75 b.c. made a law that restored the right of tribunes to stand for other offices.
a) C. Aurelius Cotta
b) M. Porcius Cato
c) M. Perperna
d) L. Manlius Torquatus
58. It is well known tradition that the first year of the Republic saw five consuls. Many historians, however, reject
three of these as later inventions and would only accept two as actually historical. Other than L. Junius Brutus,
which of these does Scullard accept because of his connection with the dedication of the Capitoline temple and
the first treaty with Carthage?
a) L. Tarquinius Collatinus
b) M. Horatius Pulvillus
c) Sp. Lucretius
d) P. Valerius Poblicola
59. Which was the last emperor of the year 69 a.d. eventually ruling until 79 a.d.?
a) Vitellius
b) Galba
c) Otho
d) Vespasian
60. Although not the first plebeian dictator, this man used the office in 339 b.c. to carry a law demanding that one of
the censors be a plebeian, and in 337 became the first plebeian praetor.
a) L. Genucius
b) C. Marcius Rutilus
c) Cn. Ogulnius
d) Q. Publilius Philo
5
61. This tribune of 104 b.c., angered that he was not coopted into the college of pontiffs, transferred the election of
priests to an election by a popular vote of 17 tribes chosen by lot. Who was this man who became the first
Pontifex Maximus to be elected by the people?
a) Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus
b) L. Appuleius Saturninus
c) M. Aemilius Scaurus
d) C. Servilius Glaucia
62. The untimely death of Gordian III’s father-in-law Timesitheus prevented them from restoring Roman rule in the
East and delivered Gordian III into the hands of ____ who started a mutiny and proclaimed himself emperor.
a) Decius
b) Gallienus
c) Macrinus
d) Philip
63. When Augustus adopted Tiberius as his son, whom did he force Tiberius to adopt?
a) Caligula
b) Claudius
c) Germanicus
d) Drusus II
64. The final defeat of Mithridates belonged to Gn. Pompeius Magnus, but L. Licinius Lucullus had done much of
the real work. At which battle of 72 b.c. did Lucullus annihilate the Pontic armies and drive Mithridates from
his kingdom to exile in Armenia?
a) Cabira
b) Sinope
c) Chalcedon
d) Cyzicus
65. Which Hellenic state(s) joined Rome in an alliance in Rome's First Macedonian War?
a) Aetolian League
b) Rhodes
c) Achean League
d) a & c
66. Against which eastern king was Caracalla campaigning when he was assassinated?
a) Vologeses IV
b) Ardashir
c) Artabanus V
d) Vahram II
67. What Sabine patriarch moved to Rome in 504 b.c. and was granted both citizenship and patrician status?
a) App. Claudius
b) Mettius Curtius
c) Cassius Hemina
d) M. Cloelius
68. Which Julia was the mother of Alexander Severus?
a) Domna
b) Soaemia
c) Maesa
d) Mamaea
st
69. Although Domitian fought against them, it was in this emperor’s reign that the 1 Dacian War took place.
a) Trajan
b) Antoninus Pius
c) Nerva
d) Hadrian
70. This Roman conquered the Ligurians and founded the Roman colony of Aquae Sextiae c. 122 b.c.
a) C. Marius
b) M. Fulvius Flaccus
c) C. Sextius Calvinus
d) M. Fulvius Nobilior
71. Although Marius got the credit for winning the Jugurthine war, it was his quaestor ______ who actually
captured Jugurtha himself.
a) L. Cornelius Sulla
b) Q. Caecilius Metellus c) C. Memmius
d) L. Opimius
72. Who was the king of Macedonia during the Second Macedonian War?
a) Persius
b) Alexander IV
c) Philip V
d) Antigonus Doson
73. This tribune's efforts at reform included a grant of voting rights to the Italians and a reform the lawcourts. The
failure of his laws and his assassination led to the Social Wars of 90-88. Who was this man?
a) P. Rutilius Rufus
b) M. Livius Drusus
c) L. Marcius Philippus
d) Q. Poppaedius
74. The legions that declared Galba emperor came from ______.
a) Germany
b) Syria
c) Praetorian
d) Spain
75. Gordian I was proconsular governor of ____ when he was proclaimed emperor in place of Maximinus Thrax.
a) Upper Germany
b) Syria
c) Africa
d) Pannonia
76. Which patrician persuaded the plebs to return from the First Sucession in 494 b.c. by means of the parable of the
"Belly and the Limbs?"
a) Menenius Agrippa
b) Sp. Cassius
c) M. Horatius Barbatus d) Q. Fabius Maximus
6
77. After Jugurtha had murdered one of his cousins and driven the other out of Numidia, the Romans divided
Numidia between Jugurtha and his cousin. Who was this cousin that Jugurtha eventually tortured to death?
a) Micipsa
b) Hiempsal
c) Masinissa II
d) Adherbal
78. According to the historian Herodian ______ lured his brother to their mother’s room and murdered him there,
“drenching his mother’s breast with a slaughtered brother’s blood.”
a) Elagabalus
b) Caracalla
c) M. Aurelius
d) Nero
79. Which praetorian prefect was said to have an evil influence on Nero?
a) Burrus
b) Macro
c) Anicetus
d) Tigellinus
80. Which patrician, member of both boards of decemviri that drafted the "Laws of the 12 Tables," is said to have
caused a secession of the plebs by his attempts to enslave the plebeian maiden Verginia?
a) Terentilius Harsa
b) App. Claudius
c) L. Valerius Potitus
d) T. Genucius
81. What is the correct order of the 5 good emperors? (earliest to latest)
a) Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius
b) Trajan, Nerva, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus Pius
c) Nerva, Hadrian, Trajan, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius
d) Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Nerva, Marcus Aurelius
82. Germanicus accused this Roman governor of Syria of murdering him by poison.
a) Velleius Paterculus
b) P. Quinctilius Varus
c) T. Aufidius Bassus
d) Cn. Calpurnius Piso
83. What did the Lex Canuleia do?
a) Outlawed enslavement for debt
b) Established the military tribune with consular power
c) Gave resolutions of the plebs (plebiscita) the force of law
d) Legalized intermarriage between plebeians and patricians
84. Which Roman general, a hero in the wars against the Gauls of northern Italy, overconfidently pursued Hannibal
and was defeated and killed along with his troops at Lake Trasimene?
a) L. Aemilius Paulus
b) C. Flaminius
c) Ti. Sempronius Longus
d) Cn. Cornelius Scipio
85. The Pisonian conspiracy took place during the reign of ______.
a) Nero
b) Tiberius
c) Claudius
d) Domitian
86. Although much of the credit for defeating Q. Sertorius in Spain truly should go to Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius,
the lion’s share went to ____ instead.
a) Cn. Pompeius Magnus
b) M. Licinius Crassus
c) Ti. Sempronius Gracchus
d) P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus Minor
87. Who was the last emperor of Constantine’s dynasty?
a) Constantius II
b) Julian
c) Jovian
d) Valentinian II
88. At which battle did the Romans defeat the Latin League in 496 b.c.?
a) Silva Arsia
b) Aricia
c) Lake Regillus
d) Anio River
89. Whom did Apicata, Sejanus’ ex-wife, accuse of murdering Tiberius’ son Drusus?
a) Livilla
b) Tiberius
c) Agrippina
d) Caligula
7
90. Which Roman leader conquered Veii?
a) Sp. Cassius
c) Gn. Marcius Coriolanus
b) M. Furius Camillus
d) M'. Curius Dentatus
91. Which emperor was NOT one of the Severan dynasty?
a) Alexander
b) Caracalla
c) Commodus
d) Elagabalus
92. Which enemy did Rome defeat at Cynoscephalae?
a) Macedonia
b) Achaean League
c) Seleucids
d) Sparta
93. Who led a famous slave revolt from 73-71 b.c.?
a) Athenion
b) Eunus
c) Spartacus
d) Tryphon
94. Who was responsible for concentrating all nine cohorts of the praetorian guard on the eastern side of Rome?
a) Caligula
b) L. Aelius Sejanus
c) Domitian
d) Septimius Severus
95. ______ and Atilius Regulus commanded the Roman fleet in 256 b.c. when the Romans decisively defeated the
Carthaginian fleet at Ecnomus.
a) Manlius Vulso
b) C. Duilius
c) M'. Valerius
d) Lutatius Catulus
96. Which emperor set up the Tetrarchy ?
a) Maximian
b) Aurelian
c) Constantine I
d) Diocletian
97. The Romans would probably prefer it if we only talked of their successes against Macedonia. From their loss
near Larissa, however, Rome took 4 years to recover . Which consul led Rome at Larissa?
a) P. Licinius Crassus
b) Hostilius Mancinus
c) Q. Marcius Philippus
d) L. Aemilius Paullus
98. To whom did Claudius entrust the conquest of Britain?
a) A. Plautius
b) P. Ostorius Scapula
c) Suetonius Paulinus
d) Q. Petillius Cerialis
99. In 310 a.d., Constantine changed his patron deity from Hercules to that of Sol Invictus. This put Constantine in
the good company of Aurelian and also ____ from whom he now claimed descent.
a) Diocletian
b) Probus
c) Claudius Gothicus
d) Septimius Severus
100. What was the force of the Constitutio Antoniniana?
a) revalued coinage and created a coin called the Antoninianus.
b) made all free inhabitants of the empire Roman citizens.
c) transferred legal authority from the Praetors to the Praefectus Praetorio and the Praefectus Urbi.
d) Nullified the legal code of Papinian.