| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Jacob Edwards claimed that a certain deployment during this battle, in the face of infantry rather than cavalry, was "an ill-advised practice which departed from the successful tactics used previously." 1,500 Roman soldiers were killed at this battle according to Polybius, who also claimed that the losing side sustained 20,000 casualties. Taking place in modern-day Tunisia, this 202 BCE battle included the use of 80 war elephants by one side fighting against Scipio Africanus. For the point, name this defeat of the Carthaginians during the Second Punic War. | Battle of Zama |
| This man inspired a 1963 film starring Gordon Scott that was subtitled "Hero without a Country." This man claimed that one policy was akin to giving an option for "crows to peck the eagles." According to Plutarch, this man was disguised when he first entered the home of Tullus Aufidius, who sheltered this man during his exile. Coming to prominence after assisting in a victory against the Volsci during a siege that inspired his cognomen, for the point, who was this Roman leader, who inspired a namesake tragedy by William Shakespeare? | Coriolanus (accept any underlined portion of Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus; accept Gaius in place of Gnaeus) |
| Mancinus ordered one of these two people to negotiate a treaty during the Numantine War, and one of these two people secured supplies for the forces of Orestes in Sardinia. Lucius Opimius was empowered by the Roman Senate to attack one of these people, who was supported by Marcus Fulvius Flaccus. One of these people tried to use the wealth of Attalus the Third of Pergamum to fund their Lex Agraria. Known for their attempts at land redistribution, for the point, who were these siblings who were both assassinated? | Gracchi Brothers (accept Gracchus in place of Gracchi; accept Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus; accept Gaius Sempronius Gracchus) |
| This man was succeeded in his highest position by his half-brother Gauda and arranged for the death of his adoptive brother, Hiempsal, before going on to win a civil war against Adherbal. Succeeding Micipsa, this man claimed that a certain place was "doomed to quick destruction, if it should find a buyer." The claims that Rome was "a city for sale" were put forth by this leader of a North African kingdom. For the point, name this king of Numidia, who fought a namesake war against the Roman Republic. | Jugurtha (or Jugurthen; or Yugurten; or Yugarten; prompt on "Jugurthine War") |
| One action by this man's forces prompted a rival commander to say, "We have lost Tarentum in the same way that we took it." The House of Massimo claims to be descended from this man, under whom Minucius, the Master of the Horse, led an attack against this man's orders. This man's agnomen, Cunctator, makes reference to his best-known tactic, which is sometimes seen as a forerunner to modern guerilla warfare. For the point, name this Roman general, known for his delaying tactics. | Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus (accept Fabius the Delayer; accept Fabius Cunctator; prompt on "Fabian Strategy") |
| A change in beliefs undertaken by this man was described by Arnaldo Momigliano as a "conspicuous date in the history of Roman Epicureanism." Following the defeat of Crassus at Carrhae, this man oversaw the retreat of remaining forces to Syria. Junia Tertia married this man, who was described as having "a lean and hungry look" in a Shakespeare play. After hearing a false report that his brother-in-law's troops had failed at the Battle of Philippi, this man committed suicide. For the point, name this man who, with Brutus, conspired to assassinate Julius Caesar. | Gaius Cassius Longinus |
| The Roman army defeated this man's forces at Pollentia while attempting to besiege Hasta. Described as being born on Peuce [[peh-OO-keh]] Island by Jordanes, this man successfully prevented one emperor from traversing the Maritsa River. Ataulf succeeded this proponent of Arianism as the leader of one people, in which capacity he reigned from 395 to 410 CE. Saint Jerome said, "The city which had taken the whole world was taken itself" after a siege of Rome by, for the point, what leader of the Visigoths? | Alaric the First |
| The Third Legion Gallica supported this ruler's claim to be the emperor's illegitimate son, leading the Senate to denounce him as the "False Antoninus." Cassius Dio asserts that this man's lover, Zoticus, was poisoned by Hierocles to induce impotence, causing this man to exile Zoticus. This ruler had his grandmother, Julia Maesa, appointed as Mater Castrorum et Senatus and worshipped a black meteorite from Emesa, representing his namesake god. For the point, name this Roman emperor, known for possibly identifying as a woman and his parties involving rose petals. | Elagabalus (or Sextus Varius Avitus Bassianus; or Heliogabalus) |
| The funeral oration of Lucius Verginius Rufus was delivered by this man, who became a suffect consul in the year 97 CE. The Fenni were among those described in an ethnographic work by this man, who authored a condensed Dialogus de oratoribus. Roman emperors from Tiberius through Nero were covered in a work by this man, which is often combined with his Histories. A work focusing on Germania was written by, for the point, what Roman historian and writer of the Annals? | Publius Cornelius Tacitus |
| According to Pliny the Elder, this man was able to speak every language of the 22 nations under his governance. A practice of ingesting non-lethal doses of poison to develop immunity to said poisons is named for this man, who helped Socrates Chrestus defeat Nicomedes the Fourth of Bithynia. This man allied with Tigranes the Second during one set of conflicts, and during his reign from 120 to 63 BCE, this man fought a set of three namesake wars against the Roman Republic. For the point, name this king of Pontus. | Mithridates the Sixth Eupator (or Mithridates the Great) |
| In this year, the son of a freed slave, who was born in Alba Pompeia, was forced to pay a donativum of 3,000 denarii. In this year, an engagement near Nicaea ended with the defeat of Pescennius Niger [[NY- gher]]. On June 1 of this year, Didius Julianus was executed after having earlier bought one title from the Praetorian Guard. For the point, 193 CE was also known by what term, indicating the number of individuals claiming to be ruler of Rome? | Year of the Five Emperors (accept 193 CE before mentioned) |
| These people offered a woman “what they bore on their left arm” in exchange for entering a city but then crushed her with their shields. After Titus Tatius led an invasion of these people, the Vestal Virgin Tarpeia betrayed her home city. Romulus orchestrated a festival of Neptune Equester to mass abduct some of these people. For the point, name these inhabitants of Northern Italy, whose women were kidnapped and forced to marry early Roman men. | Sabines (or Sabini) |
| For his valor at the Battle of Nola, this man was given the Grass Crown. Supporters of Cinna were among the targets of a campaign against political enemies of this man, known as his namesake "proscription." The year 88 BCE marked the first of two consulships by this man, who got rid of the grain dole as part of a series of reforms. This man won the first major civil war in Rome's history and served under his rival, Gaius Marius. For the point, name this statesman of the Roman Republic. | Sulla (or Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix; accept Sulla's Proscription) |
| Abgar the Tenth and his heir were murdered at the command of this ruler, who then incorporated Osroene into the Roman Empire. After unexpectedly gaining the release of Prince Tiridates of Armenia, this ruler used his failed marriage proposal to the daughter of Artabanus the Fourth as justification for an invasion. Cassius Dio claimed that 20,000 people were proscribed by this emperor following his damnatio memoriae and the assassination of his brother, Geta. For the point, name this man, who granted citizenship to all free men in the Roman Empire. | Caracalla (or Lucius Septimius Bassianus) |
| Edward Catich published a set of "Letters Redrawn" from the inscription at the base of this monument, which inspired a typeface named for its dedicatee. In 1587, Sixtus the Fifth oversaw the crowning of this monument with a bronze statue of Saint Peter. Apollodorus of Damascus is thought to have supervised the building of this monument, which is found in its namesake emperor's forum. Depicting a set of victories in the Dacian Wars, for the point, what is this monument, dedicated to the second of the Five Good Emperors? | Trajan's Column (prompt on "Trajan's Forum" before “this monument” is mentioned) |
| During this man's second dictatorship, Ahala killed Spurius Maelius on the suspicion of seeking kingship. This man's first dictatorship ended after fifteen days, following the relief of a Roman army under siege by the Aequi at Mount Algidus. An American society named for this man was founded by Henry Knox for descendants of Continental Army Officers. For the point, name this Roman politician and farmer, known for his civil virtue and the namesake of the third-largest city in Ohio. | Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (prompt on "Cincinnati") |
| According to Procopius, this structure was a small bronze cube only large enough to cover a statue of its patron deity. Virgil and Ennius record that this structure was believed to serve as a prison for the goddesses Discord and Fury. This structure in the Forum contained an entrance that was open during war and closed in times of peace. For the point, name this structure, dedicated to a two-faced god of doorways. | Temple of Janus (accept Gates of Janus; prompt on partial answers) |
| This emperor ordered Anicius Faustus to build fortifications at Gharbia, Gholaia, and Ghadames following his successful war against the Garamantes, which strengthened the Limes Tripolitanus. Having won the Battle of Lugdunum, this emperor rode his horse over the headless corpse of Clodius Albinus, whom he had earlier appointed as caesar. This emperor executed his cousin, Plautianus, on the advice of his wife. For the point, identify this first Roman emperor of African origin. | Lucius Septimius Severus (prompt on partial answers) |
| The assistance of Tyndarion of Tauromenia allowed one side of this conflict to cross the Straits of Messina. A peace offer by Cineas during this conflict was opposed by Appius Publius Caecus, who had been carried to the Senate on a litter. Elephants were known as Lucanian Oxes during this conflict, following their first appearance at Heraclea. The namesake of this war remarked that if he won one more battle, he would be utterly ruined. For the point, what is this war, named for a king of Epirus who also lends his name to a victory at great cost? | Pyrrhic War (accept Pyrrhic Victory) |
| This emperor ordered Arbogast to strangle Victor, whom this emperor had earlier defeated at the Save, and Arbogast later sided with the usurper Eugenius against this emperor. Ambrose of Milan forbade this man from receiving the eucharist until he did penance for the Massacre at Thessalonica. The influence of Pope Damasus the First was critical to this emperor's Edict of Thessalonica, which outlawed Arianism and other non-Nicaean denominations. For the point, name this Roman emperor, the last to rule over an undivided Roman Empire. | Theodosius the Great (or Theodosius the First; or Flavius Theodosius) |
| This ruler held Porcius Septiminus in check with the aid of the governor of Noricum. Suetonius recorded that the inhabitants of Hadrumetum pelted this man with turnips while he served as proconsul of Africa. This ruler remarked, "An emperor ought to die standing," while suffering a fatal illness in 79 CE. This ruler's son, Titus, destroyed the First Temple of Jerusalem during the First Jewish-Roman War. For the point, name this ruler, who ended the Year of the Four Emperors and founded the Flavian dynasty. | Vespasian (or Titus Flavius Vespasianus) |
| The namesake council of these people created a residential system of organization in 471 BCE. The Publilian Rogation established an assembly to elect a certain representative of these people, and an action taken by this group during the Conflict of the Orders has sometimes been compared to a general strike and is known as its namesake "second secession." That event resulted in the creation of the office of tribune to represent these people. For the point, name this class in Roman society, which can be contrasted with the patricians. | Plebeians (or Plebes; accept Second Plebeian Secession; accept Plebeian Council or Council of the Plebes) |
| In describing the subject matter of this work, the author claims that "the path is not a beaten highway of authorship." This work references a phoenix that was allegedly sent to Claudius in the year 43 CE. A cynocephalus is a dog-headed creature described in this work, which includes a section on metallurgy. Written by Pliny the Elder, this is, for the point, what work that describes subjects like mineralogy, zoology, and geography? | Natural History (or Naturalis Historia) |
| Residents of this empire called the Roman Empire Daqin [[DAH-CHIN]]. Ptolemy knew this empire's chief port as Cattigara. An emissary from this empire, named Gan Ying, attempted to visit Rome, on the command of Ban Chao, but only made it as far as the Persian Gulf. Responsible for the proliferation of silk into Rome, for the point, what is this empire, which existed in China during the start of the Roman Empire? | Han Dynasty (prompt on "China") |
| Pliny notes how a 1st century senatorial decree banning the production of this resource in Italy led to a shift of production of this resource from Tuscany to Brittany. Joseph of Arimathea’s dealings in this resource, which was produced in Cornwall, may have given rise to the legend that Jesus traveled to England as a child. For the point, name this metal, which was valued greatly in the Roman world due to its use in bronzemaking and whose chemical symbol comes from the Latin word stannum. | Tin (accept Sn) |
| Candidates for this office were granted religious authority by an augur, who placed them on an elevated stone chair while consulting the gods. Senators temporarily held this office for five-day periods after a vacancy until a new holder was elected. The rape of Lucretia by a holder of this office sparked a revolt, ending, for the point, what office, legendarily first held by Romulus and ending before the Republic? | King of Rome (or Roman King; prompt on partial answers) |
| Roman inventions used in the production of this good included the trapetum, as well as the strigil, which was used to scrape this good away at Roman baths. A quote attributed to Pliny the Elder states that "there are two liquids that are agreeable to the human body ‒ for the interior is wine and for the exterior is [this good]." For the point, name this versatile material, which was a key source of fat in diets and was used as lamp fuel in the Roman world. | Olive Oil (prompt on partial answers) |
| The largest of these places is dedicated to the obscure goddesses Murcia and Consus. Events in these places started from gates called carceres and continued onto the spina while being tracked with large wooden eggs and bronze dolphins. These buildings were modeled after the Greek hippodrome and were larger than the similar stadia. For the point, name these large open-air buildings, the largest of which in Rome is known as "Maximus." | Circus (accept Circus Maximus; prompt on “Arena” or “Racetrack”) |
| This civilization was effectively conquered following the victories of Rullus and Dolabella at the Battles of Lake Vadimo. This civilization created the Liver of Piacenza, a bronze object used to teach haruspicy. The Tarquinii Dynasty descended from this civilization, whose defeat started their assimilation into Rome. Calling themselves the Rasenna, for the point, what was this pre-Roman Italian civilization? | Etruscans (accept Rasenna before mentioned) |
| The Venerable Bede once claimed, "When [this place] falls, Rome shall fall." During the initial days of this building's operation, various naumachia took place to re-enact naval battles. A statue based on one of the Seven Wonders of the World is thought to have inspired the name of this location. Beginning construction in 72 CE, this location is sometimes referred to as the Flavian Amphitheatre. For the point, name this building in Rome, which frequently held gladiatorial contests. | Colosseum (accept Flavian Amphitheatre or Amphitheatrum Flavium before mentioned) |
| One of these animals is depicted in green basalt while stepping on a yellow marble ball in a statue in the Albani wing of the Louvre. When depicted attacking a stag or horse, this animal was used as a symbol for the people of Rome. According to tradition, Saint Mark was sentenced to be executed by one of these animals, which instead slept at his feet. For the point, name these African predators, sometimes depicted as eating Christians. | Lions (accept Albani Lion) |