1. Tom Holland describes a fatal event for the Republic, in which later generations would see “the great turning point of which the augurs had warned: the passing of an old age, the dawning of a new,” fraught with menace for Rome. Which was it?
A)
Gaius Marius’ decision to take the poor “head count” into the legions
B)
Sulla’s March on Rome
C)
Caesar crossing the Rubicon
2. In Rubicon, TH discusses how the young Caesar, circa 78 BC, laid claim to the tradition of Gaius Marius, “the tradition to which Caesar regarded himself as heir.” What did he do?
A)
Prosecuting one of Sulla’s former officers for corruption
B)
Wearing loosely-belted and ‘dandy’ outfits
C)
Getting a fleet of ships (no one is sure just HOW) from the King of Bythinia
3. How old was Pompey Magnus when he first became Consul of Rome?
A)
20
B)
36
C)
41
4. Who is the “shadow” manipulator behind the political scenes in RUBICON for the 15 years before Caesar’s rise to prominence?
A)
Pompey the Great
B)
Sulla
C)
Marcus Licinius Crassus
5. What Roman general survived a mutinous army to continue to fight Mithridates the Great in the East, before Pompey “finished him off,” and was forcibly retired?
A)
Cicero
B)
Catulus
C)
Lucullus
6. According to TH (p. 123), one things was considered by the Republican Romans as primarily “defining them” and their culture, making them able to ‘sneer at the Greeks.” It was:
A)
The number of their provinces
B)
Their legal system
C)
The fact they had slain the last of their kings.
7. When Cicero was persuaded to testify in the sacrilege trial of Publius Clodius Cicero, after the debacle of the BONA DEA celebration, one of the reasons, according to TH, was:
A)
Pompey Magnus demanded it of him as a favor.
B)
He was persuaded by Clodius’ enemy, Gaius Scribonius Curio.
C)
His wife accused Clodia (Clodius’ sister) of angling to seduce him, and he wanted domestic peace.
8. Who was the first Roman leader who created age limits for the Cursus Honorum, the steps to the consulship in Roman politics?
A)
The Gracchi
B)
Sulla
C)
Gaius Marius
9. As TH describes, the one stroke taken by Caesar that would eventually give him incredible political power and wealth, was:
A)
His decision to invade into unconquered Gaul and subordinate the province
B)
Winning title as Pontifex Maximus in the elections of 63 BC
C)
His decision to link with Pompey and Crassus in the so-called “First Triumvirate”
10. What campaign of Caesar’s does TH described as “replaying as farce” his previous military exploits?
A)
His ‘siege’ in Alexandria, 48-47 BC
B)
His siege in Alesia during the Gallic Wars
C)
His pursuit of Pompey to Brundisium, early in the Civil War.
11. What was the single event, according to TH, which sparked the Italian uprising of the so-called “Social War”?
A)
The murder of Livius Drusus in 91 BC, after he attempted to secure enfranchisement for all the Italian allies
B)
The march on Rome of Sulla.
C)
The death of Gaius Marius.
12. Who wrote this in a letter to Cicero? “In peacetime, while taking part in domestic politics, it is most important to back the side that is in the right – but in times of war, the strongest.”
A)
Pompey Magnus;
B)
Marcus Bibulus
C)
Julius Caesar
13. A few days before the Ides of February, what action had the Senate taken regarding Caesar, just before Mark Antony would publicly offer him the crown and Brutus to be drawn into the conspiracy?
A)
It was decided to invade Parthia, with Caesar leaving Rome for an estimated 5 years
B)
Caesar had been appointed dictator for life.
C)
Caesar had been given permission to wear the costume of the ancient kings of Rome.