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july roman quiz

planetium scientia quizzius maximus

Those Romans eh? They totally RULED for a long time, but did you know they also were big on science and engineering? Course you did! You've watched 'Time Team' haven't you!?

Well, to celebrate the month that is named after the most renowned of all Roman leaders, Julius Caesar, we've put together a Roman quiz for you. Don't be put off, the questions look a bit tricky, but just use your loaf (or panis as we say in the ancient world!) and 'gaudebitis!" (or 'you'll be laughing!' - thanks for that correct translation to Will Griffiths of the Cambridge School Classics Project: http://www.cambridgesep.com).

Your prize? A selection of roman goodies: Poster explaining the month's names, and a gladiator apron to go with your Roman cookbook!

I, II, III, GO !!!

Click here for the answers...

01
 What civil engineering task was a groma used for?
Killing bacteria
Watering olive trees
Making sure roads were built straight

02
 What was special about the carrots the Romans introduced into Britain?
They were white
They were shaped like cubes
They smelt of cheese

03
 Romans were very good at architecture and engineering.  They built long aqueducts, which were designed to carry what?
Sheep
Water
Lava

04
 Boethius divided physical science studies into arithmetic, astronomy, geometry and what else?
Comedy
Music
Tragedy

05
 What did the writer Pliny the Younger report about so accurately, that it has helped modern volcanologists?
The eruption of Vesuvius
The plotting in the Senate
The building of roman baths

06
 What act of scientific vandalism has Julius Caesar been, probably falsely, accused of?
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius
He refused to let anyone practice medicine
Burning down the Great Library of Alexandria

07
 Julius Caesar is associated with the scientific term ‘caesarean section’.  Which branch of science does it appear in?
Physics
Medicine
Geology

08
 Which seemingly modern building material did Romans use?
Concrete
Steel
Fibreglass

09
 Julius Caesar (lived 100BC – 15th March 44BC) reformed the calendar so that the months and the seasons were consistent every year.  For this, the month Quinctilis was renamed July after him in the year 46BC– so how many further Julys did he enjoy after his calendar reform?
1
10
100

10
 An important Roman medic, Galen, made many great discoveries but what rather unpleasant medical practice did he agree with because his knowledge of the human body was not altogether accurate?
Bloodletting – he believed that blood could stagnate in the limbs, rather than circulating around the body
Suffocation – he didn’t realise that air was necessary for life
Removing teeth – he believed they were dangerous and unnecessary

Answers

1= Making sure roads were built straight • 2= They were white • 3= Water • 4= Music • 5= The eruption of Vesuvius • 6= Burning down the Great Library of Alexandria • 7= Medicine • 8= Concrete • 9= 1 • 10= Bloodletting

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