Ancient Greece and Rome, city-states, republics, and classical Mediterranean civilization.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
In ancient Athens, what did a vote of ostracism do to a citizen?
Ostracism aimed to curb dangerous political power; the exiled citizen normally kept his property and citizenship.
What was the main role of the Praetorian Guard organized by Augustus?
Later Praetorians helped choose emperors and sometimes killed the rulers they were meant to protect.
How did citizens make major decisions in the Assembly of democratic Athens?
Assembly meetings took place on the Pnyx, an outdoor hillside where citizens could address the crowd.
After Spartacus's defeat, how did the Romans punish thousands of captured rebels?
The crosses lined the Appian Way between Capua and Rome as a warning against further rebellion.
What disaster killed many Athenians, including Pericles, early in the Peloponnesian War?
Refugees had crowded inside Athens to escape invading armies, creating conditions in which disease could spread.
Spartacus escaped from what kind of Roman training school before leading a revolt?
Gladiators trained for public arena combat, so the first fugitives already had fighting skills.
Which group formed the core of Spartacus's rebellion against Rome?
The revolt grew as enslaved people fled farms and estates to join the rebels.
Which foreign power helped finance Sparta's fleet late in the Peloponnesian War?
Persian money helped Sparta pay rowers and challenge Athens at sea, where Athens had long held the advantage.
Which Roman leader adopted the future emperor Augustus in his will?
The inheritance gave the young Augustus Caesar's name, which helped him win support from Caesar's veterans.
How did democratic Athens choose most members of its Council of 500?
Council members usually served for one year, spreading the work of preparing Assembly business among citizens.