2012 VJCL Convention Roman Life Contest!
Choose the BEST answer to each question.
1. What Latin term is given to the head of a Roman household? a. paterfamilias b. patria potestas c. pater patriae d. patronus
2. What was a Roman boy’s diēs lūstricus? a. the day he received his name c. the day before his marriage b. the day he dedicated his bulla d. the day of his birth
3. Which of the following was NOT a form of Roman marriage? a. coemptiō b. ūsus c. confarreātiō d. gustātiō
4. Which of the following was NOT associated with a Roman boy’s education? a. paedagogus b. grammaticus c. litterator d. nomenclator
5. Cicero refers to a certain “C. Servilius” in one of his speeches. What was this infamous Roman’s praenōmen? a. Cornelius b. Servius c. Gaius d. Servilius
6. What was adrogātiō? a. the custom of a man marrying his brother’s widow b. the adoption of a pater familiās into a new gēns c. the marriage of a plebeian and a patrician d. the process by which a new gēns was formally created
7. What relative was known in Latin as a nurus? a. father-in-law b. step-mother c. daughter-in-law d. step-brother
8. What was a dōs? a. a formal betrothal c. a marriage contract b. a bridal dowry d. a wedding toast
9. A person in Rome whose name was Mārcipor would almost certainly be which of these? a. a slave b. a woman c. a foreigner d. a plebeian
10. What did an agnōmen ending in the suffix –ānus as in the name Pūblius Cornēlius Scīpiō Aemiliānus indicate? a. hereditary senatorial rank c. foreign ancestry b. adoption into a new gēns d. plebeian origins
11. What were Roman children called during the period of time known as prīmōrdia? a. puer/puella b. pūpus/pūpa c. īnfans d. Iuppiter/Iūnō
12. A newly-manumitted slave would receive a pilleus symbolizing his freedom. Where was this pilleus worn? a. waist b. neck c. ankle d. head
13. What did a Roman man do by performing susceptiō? a. acknowledged a child as his own c. made an offering for a safe birth b. denied that a child was his d. made an offering to ward off bad luck
2012 VJCL Convention Roman Life Contest
14. What Latin term was given to relatives by marriage only? a. agnātī b. gentilēs c. adfīnēs d. cognātī
15. During a wedding ceremony, who carried the cumera, a covered vase containing the bride’s crepundia? a. pronuba b. camillus c. the bride d. bride’s parents
16. To whom did a girl dedicate her bulla and her toga praetexta on the eve of her wedding? a. her Iūnō b. Juno Lucina c. the Larēs d. the Mānēs
17. What was a Roman slave’s pecūlium? a. his assigned workload c. his personal property b. a document showing he was a slave d. an oath of obedience to his owner
18. After whom was the knot on a Roman girl’s wedding dress named? a. Gordian b. Juno c. Vesta d. Hercules
19. Which of these rooms found in many modern-day homes most closely corresponds to the Roman tablīnum? a. bedroom b. foyer c. study d. dining room
20. What was the name for the open courtyard running from the street to the front door of a house, which would be decorated with shrubs, flowers, and statues? a. atrium b. xystus c. vestibulum d. peristylium
21. The nickname “Caligula,” by which the third Roman emperor is best known, refers to what type of clothing? a. hat b. footwear c. underwear d. cloak
22. What was the name of the strongbox in which a Roman father kept his valuables? a. larārium b. volumen c. capsa d. arca
23. For which of the following would a Roman have employed a fibula? a. as a brooch or safety-pin c. as a shawl in cold weather b. as protection from the sun d. as a wrap for injured limbs
24. What did it mean if a garment was described as amictus? a. it needed to be wrapped to be worn c. it was only to be worn by men b. it was pulled on over the head d. it was never worn by slaves
25. Which of the following geographical terms was also used for the most common type of residence in Rome? a. īnsulae b. mōns c. flūmen d. palūs
26. Most Romans chose to cover the walls of their homes with stucco to cover up what volcanic rock that was the first easily accessible building material in Italy? a. gneiss b. tufa c. basalt d. pyrite
27. With respect to a door, why would a Roman use a pessulus? a. to open it b. to see through it c. to hold it open d. to lock it
28. Which of the following articles of clothing was primarily intended to be worn at a comissātiō? a. endromis b. abolla c. synthesis d. paludamentum
! 2! 2012 VJCL Convention Roman Life Contest
29. What was ientāculum? a. breakfast b. dessert c. afternoon snack d. a poultry dish
30. Which of the following did Romans NEVER drink? a. wine b. water c. milk d. tea
31. Which animal’s meat was considered of the poorest quality and fit only for the poor? a. pig’s b. chicken’s c. cow’s d. goat’s
32. Which fruit was unknown to the Romans until it was brought back by Lucullus from Pontus? a. raspberry b. peach c. cherry d. lemon
33. What was the name of the first fluid that came from the pressing of the olive – a dark, bitter fluid that was used mainly for fertilizer? a. mērum b. amurca c. ōlīvea d. epityrum
34. Which of the following was NOT an ingredient in the Roman delicacy called tȳrotarīchus? a. snails b. fish c. eggs d. cheese
35. Which of these types of Roman bread was NOT synonymous to the others? a. pānis plēbēius b. pānis silīgineus c. pānis castrēnsis d. pānis rūsticus
36. On what kind of machine would one be able to find a mola and a catīllus? a. loom b. winepress c. plow d. mill
37. Which of the following grains was cultivated only as feed for cattle? a. spelt b. rye c. oats d. wheat
38. What is the closest equivalent we have today to what the Romans called dēfrutum? a. wine b. jelly c. vinegar d. cider
39. What is first attested in Rome at the funeral of Brutus Pera in 264 B.C.? a. theatrical performances c. gladiatorial combat b. triumphal parade d. chariot racing
40. In which of the following places would a Roman see a calx and a spina? a. amphitheater b. odeon c. circus d. theater
41. Which type of gladiator was named for the fish-shaped crest on his helmet? a. andabata b. Thrax c. retiarius d. murmillo
42. Which of the following colors was NOT used to represent one of the chariot-racing companies in Rome? a. blue b. white c. green d. black
43. Which of the following most nearly corresponds to the part of the thermae called the unctorium? a. massage parlor b. sauna c. swimming pool d. playground
44. All of the following were necessary for sealing a letter EXCEPT: a. signum b. cēra c. līnum d. umbilīcus
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45. How many wheels did the conveyance known as a lectīca have? a. four b. two c. one d. none
46. “Two balls were used and the aim of the player was to throw the ball in his possession at the one of his opponents who would be the less likely to catch it.” This is the scholar Harold Johnston’s description of what popular Roman ball game? a. calculī b. par impar c. latrunculī d. trigōn
47. How many consuls served each year during the Roman republic? a. one b. two c. three d. ten
48. Into how many horae was the Roman day – i.e., the period of daylight – divided? a. 8, regardless of season c. 12, regardless of season b. 8-10, depending on the season d. 10-12, depending on the season
49. Which of these best describes salūtātiō? a. The traditional welcome into a new family for a bride. b. The greeting given by gladiators to the dator lūdōrum. c. The morning greeting of a patron by his clients. d. The Roman Senate’s initiation of new members.
50. What was the name of the Roman Senate House which was allegedly built by Tullus Hostilius? a. basilica b. curia c. rostra d. tabularium
51. What official typically appointed a magister equitum as his assistant during his brief time in power? a. consul b. dictator c. praetor d. quaestor
52. What were legēs insānae? a. rules laid down at drinking parties c. laws that had been rescinded b. laws that dealt with prostitutes d. rules of conduct during Saturnalia
53. What service did the men known as fullōnēs provide? a. glass blowing b. vehicle repair c. shoemaking d. laundry cleaning
54. Who was most likely to receive a sportula in Rome? a. clients b. soldiers c. gladiators d. patrons
55. What would be planted in the ground at the site of a slave auction to indicate that the sale was taking place under the auspices of the government? a. red flag c. spear b. a sign with the names of the consuls d. a legion’s standard
56. At what event in Rome would the songs known as versūs Fescennīnī be sung? a. funeral b. wedding c. triumph d. a play
57. Which of the following was used to carry war booty in a triumphal procession? a. petorītum c. raeda b. cisium d. essēdum
! 4! 2012 VJCL Convention Roman Life Contest
58. A Scipio was allegedly the first Roman to remove it, while Hadrian was said to be the first Roman emperor not to remove it. What is it? a. graffiti b. Mercedonius c. the Lapis Niger d. facial hair
59. What was the name for those troops trained in the use of grappling hooks? a. sifonariī b. mangōnēs c. funditōrēs d. uncināriī
60. What were tēgulae? a. roof tiles b. hooded cloaks c. portable ovens d. bejeweled togas
61. What was a lībitinarius? a. secretary b. undertaker c. tailor d. bookseller
62. What was the function of a clepsydra? a. keeping time b. storing water c. heating food d. clipping nails
63. Which of the famous Roman gentēs is the only one known to have used the praenōmen Mamercus? a. Iuliī b. Claudiī c. Aemiliī d. Fabiī
64. Which of these was NOT an instrument used to punish slaves? a. scutica b. flagellum c. lōrum d. lībum
65. The Roman school year regularly began immediately following the Quinquatria in what month? a. March b. April c. September d. November
66. What agricultural god did the Romans honor with a seven-day festival in December during which slaves were sometimes served a banquet by their masters? a. Mars b. Jupiter c. Saturn d. Faunus
67. What was the title of the chief priest, an office which was held by Julius Caesar from 63 BC until his death? a. flāmen diālis c. optimus princeps b. pontifex maximus d. rex sacrōrum
68. Which of the following is NOT true of the festival known as Lupercalia? a. it was celebrated in mid-February c. it was a fertility and purification festival b. it involved the sacrifice of a dog and a goat d. it was very unpopular during the empire
69. Which respected festival was held on the first day of March? a. Matronālia b. Lemūria c. Parentalia d. Ambarvalia
70. How many men were in charge of the sacred Sibylline Books? a. 7 b. 9 c. 12 d. 15
71. Which of the following was NOT sacred to the Lares? a. the first day of January & June c. the last day of August & November b. the 7th of March & May d. the 13th of February & April
72. Whose duty was it to perform the conclāmātiō for a man who died at home surrounded by family? a. his wife’s c. his eldest brother’s b. his eldest son’s d. the undertaker’s
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73. On which hill of Rome were the puticuli, grave pits of paupers, located? a. Viminal b. Caelian c. Esquiline d. Aventine
74. How many years were Vestal Virgins required to serve? a. three b. thirteen c. thirty d. her whole life
75. What type of final resting place is pictured below? a. sepulchrum b. columbārium c. sarcophagus d. cenotaphium
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