Take A Trip Through The Ages With This Ancient History Quiz!

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Ancient History Quiz Questions

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Question 1

What was the name of the highest-ranking ruler in ancient Egypt?

  • A
    Pharaoh
  • B
    President
  • C
    Messiah
  • D
    Czar

Question 2

China was fractured and decentralized until the beginning of the Imperial Period, when the Qin dynasty united most of China in 221BC through a brutal campaign of warfare and cracking down on dissent. What massive structure did they build to keep out invaders?

  • A
    Macchu Picchu
  • B
    Great Wall
  • C
    Hadrian's Wall
  • D
    Colossus at Rhodes

Question 3

When the conquistadors arrived with permission from Spain to conquer the Inca, the Incan Civil War had broken out and weakened the empire. What were the names of the two brothers who were fighting for control of the empire?

  • A
    Peter and Paul
  • B
    Huascar and Atahualpa
  • C
    John and Joe
  • D
    Cain and Abel

Question 4

What Egyptian queen was the lover of both Julius Caesar and Marcus Anthony?

  • A
    Cleopatra VII
  • B
    Caecilia
  • C
    Hatshepsut
  • D
    Isabella

Question 5

According to Rome's founding myth, what were the names of the twins, descendants of Aeneas, that founded ancient Rome?

  • A
    Romulus and Remus
  • B
    Castor and Pollux
  • C
    Noah and Abraham
  • D
    Joseph and Mary

Question 6

This city was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

  • A
    Rome
  • B
    Pompeii
  • C
    Naples
  • D
    Athens

Question 7

What religion did the Spanish bring and try to spread? It sometimes merged with traditional Mayan religious beliefs.

  • A
    Atheism
  • B
    Catholicism
  • C
    Judaism
  • D
    Buddhism

Question 8

Which European explorer brought back stories of the splendor of the Chinese empire during this time?

  • A
    Marco Polo
  • B
    Francisco Pizarro
  • C
    Buddha
  • D
    Louis XVI

Question 9

When the Spanish arrived in Aztec territory in 1519, who was the tlatoani?

  • A
    Montezuma
  • B
    Ramses
  • C
    Julius Caesar
  • D
    Athena

Question 10

The ancient Greeks worshiped a vast group of gods and goddesses. Which of these is NOT a god in the ancient Greek pantheon?

  • A
    Zoroaster
  • B
    Zeus
  • C
    Athena
  • D
    Aphrodite

Question 11

Pachacuti is believed to have built this famous Incan site.

  • A
    Machu Picchu
  • B
    Grand Canyon
  • C
    Pyramids of Giza
  • D
    Hadrian's Wall

Question 12

This Inca fought against Spanish control from an Incan stronghold away from Cusco. What was his name?

  • A
    Alexander the Great
  • B
    Joseph
  • C
    Tupac Amaru
  • D
    Cyrus the Rebel

Question 13

What part of the body was removed to complete the sacrifice?

  • A
    Brain
  • B
    Stomach
  • C
    Heart
  • D
    Lungs

Question 14

What was the name of the creator god in Mayan religion?

  • A
    Jupiter
  • B
    Itzamna
  • C
    Set
  • D
    Joe

Question 15

This woman was the second female pharaoh of Egypt. She is considered one of the most successful pharaohs for her building projects and establishment of trade routes, and is sometimes considered the first great woman of power in history.

  • A
    Mother Theresa
  • B
    Hatshepsut
  • C
    Atia of the Julii
  • D
    The Virgin Mary

Question 16

Emperor Constantine announced that he had converted to this religion and that the religion would be legalized in 313.

  • A
    Christianity
  • B
    Judaism
  • C
    Islam
  • D
    Buddhism

Question 17

What was the name of the river around which ancient Egyptian society was built?

  • A
    Nile
  • B
    Tigris
  • C
    Arno
  • D
    Mississippi

Question 18

According to legend, this emperor sang while Rome burned in the great fire of 64 AD.

  • A
    Nero
  • B
    Sebastian the Great
  • C
    Vespasian
  • D
    Putin

Question 19

The Maurya Empire was established after the withdrawal of what Greek general, who had conquered much of Central Asia in the 4th century BC?

  • A
    Jesus Christ
  • B
    Julius Casear
  • C
    Henry VIII
  • D
    Alexander the Great

Question 20

Out of the Vedic civilization came the Mahanjapada, sixteen city-states that existed from about 600-300 BC. What language did they speak?

  • A
    English
  • B
    Sanskrit
  • C
    Mongolian
  • D
    Czech

Question 21

Egyptians used a system of small pictures and symbols to write. What were these called?

  • A
    Cuneiform
  • B
    Codification
  • C
    Hieroglyphics
  • D
    Alphabet

Question 22

What was the language of the Aztec empire?

  • A
    Hindi
  • B
    Nahuatl
  • C
    Mongolian
  • D
    Chinese

Question 23

When the cities of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan formed their unified alliance to create the Aztec Empire, what major enemy did they defeat to seal their power?

  • A
    Egypt
  • B
    United States
  • C
    Azcapotzalco
  • D
    Ghana

Question 24

What we call the Aztec Empire was really an alliance among three major city-states with major cultural and ethnic differences. Which of these was NOT a major Aztec city?

  • A
    Tenochtitlan
  • B
    Babylon
  • C
    Texcoco
  • D
    Tlacopan

Question 25

In addition to the Vedas, texts considered holy to Hindus today, Vedic society had numerous literary achievements. Which of these is a Vedic poem, and the longest known poem in history?

  • A
    Psalms
  • B
    Mahabharata
  • C
    Odyssey
  • D
    Bible

Question 26

What was the term for Aztec royalty?

  • A
    Patriarch
  • B
    Tlatoani
  • C
    Pharaoh
  • D
    Czar

Question 27

Which pharaoh's tomb was famously discovered by Howard Carter in the early 20th century?

  • A
    Akhenaten
  • B
    Genghis Khan
  • C
    Khufu
  • D
    Tutankhamun

Question 28

This famous text from the Gupta era describes human sexual behavior. Contrary to western belief, it is not just a sex manual, but is also a guide to virtuous living.

  • A
    Kama Sutra
  • B
    Pensees
  • C
    I Ching
  • D
    Bhagavad Gita

Question 29

This Greek god was the king of the underworld.

  • A
    Heracles
  • B
    Hermes
  • C
    Hades
  • D
    Apollo

Question 30

This famous and influential philosopher was written about by Plato, and used a method of questioning to explore difficult problems. He was condemned and executed in 399 AD. Who was he?

  • A
    Socrates
  • B
    Daedelus
  • C
    Jesus
  • D
    Alexander the Great

Question 31

The most famous work of literature from ancient Greece is the Odyssey, an epic poem telling the story of Odysseus and his men trying to return home from the Trojan War. Who is credited with writing the Odyssey?

  • A
    Paul of Tarsus
  • B
    Homer
  • C
    Virgil
  • D
    Jonah

Question 32

The Inca were the largest civilization in the Americas, and possibly the world in the 16th century. In what mountain range did they build their empire?

  • A
    Alps
  • B
    Hindu Kush
  • C
    Rockies
  • D
    Andes

Question 33

Vedic religion, which observed and worshiped many gods and goddesses, was a precursor to what Indian religion?

  • A
    Islam
  • B
    Hinduism
  • C
    Christianity
  • D
    Buddhism

Question 34

What modern city is now built where Tenochtitlan existed?

  • A
    Mexico City
  • B
    Veracruz
  • C
    New Orleans
  • D
    San Francisco

Question 35

This third god of the Hindu triumvirate has the responsibility to destroy in order to create anew.

  • A
    Aries
  • B
    Athena
  • C
    Shiva
  • D
    Hades

Question 36

The Inca worshipped many gods. Who was the creator god?

  • A
    St. Peter
  • B
    Viracocha
  • C
    Aries
  • D
    Artemis

Question 37

What was the language that Incans spoke?

  • A
    Italian
  • B
    Quechua
  • C
    French
  • D
    Sanskrit

Question 38

The Greek mainland was conquered by this newly ascendant civilization in 149 BC and absorbed into their territory.

  • A
    Chinese
  • B
    Arab
  • C
    French
  • D
    Roman

Question 39

What was the name of the mythical founder of the Incan kingdom?

  • A
    Romulus
  • B
    Buddha
  • C
    Ezekiel
  • D
    Manco Cpac

Question 40

After losing Marc Anthony, how did Cleopatra die?

  • A
    Suicide
  • B
    Old age
  • C
    Execution
  • D
    Drowning

Question 41

The prosperity of the New Kingdom ended in 1069 BC, when Berbers, Canaanites, and other powers took control of some Egyptian land. For hundreds of years, a weakened Egypt fought off incursions. They were taken over by various other empires. Which of these did NOT rule Egypt at some point in the ancient world?

  • A
    Assyrian
  • B
    Greek
  • C
    Chinese
  • D
    Persian

Question 42

What Spanish conquistador led the attack on the Aztecs?

  • A
    Marco Polo
  • B
    Hercules
  • C
    Hernan Cortes
  • D
    Ibn Battuta

Question 43

In general, what is one of these things that Buddhists do NOT believe in?

  • A
    Rebirth of the soul
  • B
    Cultivation of kindness
  • C
    Detachment from desire
  • D
    Praying towards Mecca

Question 44

Who was the Aztec god of the sky?

  • A
    Zeus
  • B
    Osiris
  • C
    Quetzalcoatl
  • D
    Apollo

Question 45

This man wrote an oath to uphold ethical medical standards, and a version of it still observed by medical professionals today.

  • A
    Sophocles
  • B
    Eumenides
  • C
    Hippocrates
  • D
    Aeschuylus

Question 46

At its height, ancient Greece became one of the largest empires in history, stretching from the Mediterranean into Central Asia. This Macedonian king conquered and united the Greek city-states and much of central Asia. Who was he?

  • A
    Alexander the Great
  • B
    Darius
  • C
    Julius Caesar
  • D
    Emperor Theodosius

Question 47

What was the major sustaining crop of the Aztecs?

  • A
    Wheat
  • B
    Cattle
  • C
    Maize
  • D
    Rice

Question 48

After the Han dynasty collapsed in 220 AD, the empire fragmented again, with some brief unification under the Jin and the Sui. The Tang dynasty came into power in 618 AD, and its rule is considered the high point of the imperial peiod. What religion became the most popular in China?

  • A
    Buddhism
  • B
    Jainism
  • C
    Christianity
  • D
    Judaism

Question 49

According to legend, the Trojan War was fought between the Greeks and the Trojans in the 1180s BC. The war began when Paris, a Trojan, stole a Greek general's wife. What was her name?

  • A
    Artemis
  • B
    Helen
  • C
    Veronica
  • D
    Aphrodite

Question 50

The Tang dynasty collapsed in 907 AD, and China was a disparate collection of concurrent dynasties and kingdoms until the Yuan dynasty reunited most of China in 1271 AD. Who was the emperor who achieved this?

  • A
    Kublai Khan
  • B
    Cyrus the Great
  • C
    Tupac Amaru
  • D
    Hasdrubal

Question 51

During the Han dynasty, learning and philosophy flourished, and new trade routes were opened. Which is the most famous trade route connecting China to the West?

  • A
    Northwest passage
  • B
    Silk Road
  • C
    Mediterranean pass
  • D
    Bering Strait

Question 52

The people of the Indus Valley Civilization merged with the Aryans, and eventually became the Vedic civilization (1500 BC-500 BC). Their society started off relatively egalitarian, but over time they established the varna system, which divided society into four classes. The warrior-priest class was on top. What were they called?

  • A
    Brahmins
  • B
    Samurai
  • C
    Presidents
  • D
    Knights

Question 53

An Aztec commoner could work his way up to nobility through what?

  • A
    Having many children
  • B
    Worshipping the tlatoani
  • C
    Becoming a good warrior
  • D
    Being seen praying at temple

Question 54

What disease eradicated major portions of the Aztec population after contact with Europeans?

  • A
    Mono
  • B
    Smallpox
  • C
    Measles
  • D
    Cancer

Question 55

This Greek king took over Egypt from the Persians, and was welcomed as a liberator.

  • A
    Hammurabi
  • B
    Jesus Christ
  • C
    Alexander the Great
  • D
    King James

Question 56

When the Qin dynasty collapsed, which took its place? This period is considered a golden age in China, and the name of this dynasty is also the name of the majority ethnic group in China.

  • A
    Songhai
  • B
    Han
  • C
    Luoyang
  • D
    Cree

Question 57

Which of these was NOT one of the Guptas' achievements?

  • A
    Discovery of penicillin
  • B
    Heliocentrism
  • C
    Invention of chess
  • D
    Establishing the concept of zero and a base 10 number system

Question 58

Ancient Romans worshipped an enormous pantheon of gods, from the reigning deities on Mount Olympus to local or household gods. Which of these is NOT one of the Roman gods?

  • A
    Venus
  • B
    Loki
  • C
    Jupiter
  • D
    Diana

Question 59

Suggested at first by Diocletian during economic and civil strife in the 200s, and then made law by Theodosius in 395 AD, the Roman empire was split into eastern and western halves. What was the eastern empire known as?

  • A
    Byzantine
  • B
    Persian
  • C
    Greek
  • D
    Sassanian

Question 60

What shape is the Great Temple in Tenochtitlan?

  • A
    Pyramid
  • B
    Semicircle
  • C
    Obelisk
  • D
    Arena

Question 61

Known as kohl, ancient Egyptians put lead in what cosmetic?

  • A
    Eyeliner
  • B
    Perfume
  • C
    Lipstick
  • D
    Bodybutter

Question 62

As in many other cultures, 90% of the popoulation was not elite, but were considered commoners. What was NOT an occupation that Mayan commoners would have been engaged in?

  • A
    Laborer
  • B
    Servant
  • C
    Farmer
  • D
    Priest

Question 63

The rise of this empire, which ruled most of the Indian subcontinent from 320-550 AD, led to the flourishing of Hinduism in what is called the Golden Age of India. Which empire was it?

  • A
    Roman
  • B
    Hun
  • C
    Gupta
  • D
    French

Question 64

Julius Caesar was a member of the First Triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus. These three men, in the various branches of government, effectively ruled the Roman republic. What does "triumvirate" mean?

  • A
    "Without equal"
  • B
    "Ever upward"
  • C
    "Long live the men"
  • D
    "Three men"

Question 65

The Old Kingdom period, from about 2686-2181 BC, was the period in which the most iconic structures of ancient Egypt were built. Which of these was an Egyptian construction from this time?

  • A
    Colossus at Rhodes
  • B
    Hanging Gardens of Babylon
  • C
    Pyramids of Ziggurats
  • D
    Pyramids of Giza

Question 66

This famous Greek mathematician developed the theorem that a2 + b2 = c2.

  • A
    Pythagoras
  • B
    Archimedes
  • C
    Galen
  • D
    Archibald

Question 67

What is the name of the river that runs through Rome and much of Italy?

  • A
    Mississippi
  • B
    Tiber
  • C
    Nile
  • D
    Euphrates

Question 68

In the 9th century AD, the cities in the southern Mayan region were abandoned due to a combination of drought and warfare. The northern cities thrived, however. Which of these is a northern Mayan city?

  • A
    Cairo
  • B
    Macedonia
  • C
    Ibiza
  • D
    Chichen Itza

Question 69

Sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BC, Siddhartha Gautama's teaching established what religion?

  • A
    Celtic Paganism
  • B
    Buddhism
  • C
    Zoroastrianism
  • D
    Islam

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT a body of water that borders India?

  • A
    Bay of Bengal
  • B
    Indian Ocean
  • C
    Mediterranean Sea
  • D
    Arabian Sea

Question 71

As one of the first civilizations to invent writing, what is the ancient Egyptian form called?

  • A
    Cuneiform
  • B
    Sanskrit
  • C
    Latin
  • D
    Hieroglyphics

Question 72

Ming China embarked on a series of maritime trade and military adventures led by General Zheng He. What is NOT a place he visited?

  • A
    Indonesia
  • B
    India
  • C
    Arabian Peninsula
  • D
    South Africa

Question 73

This great dynasty was established in 1368 by Zhu Yuanzhang and ruled China until 1644.

  • A
    Ming
  • B
    Zhou
  • C
    Tang
  • D
    Han

Question 74

Located along the Nile near Luxor, what is the burial ground for the likes of high priests and royalty called?

  • A
    Luxor Temple
  • B
    Lighthouse of Alexandria
  • C
    Valley of the Kings
  • D
    Red Pyramid

Question 75

Which of these is NOT one of the Five Constants, the major principles that Confucianism advocates?

  • A
    Hygiene
  • B
    Justice
  • C
    Knowledge
  • D
    Integrity

Question 76

Although we talk about ancient Greece as a unified thing, at first it was really a federation of city-states. Which of these was NOT a Greek city-state?

  • A
    Argos
  • B
    Sparta
  • C
    Ur
  • D
    Athens

Question 77

The Maurya empire, which lasted from 322 to 177 BC, was the largest empire on the Indian subcontinent in history, spanning throughout India into modern Afghanistan. Who was its founder?

  • A
    Buddha
  • B
    Chandragupta
  • C
    Noah
  • D
    Cyrus

Question 78

The king of the Inca was known as Sapa Inca, which literally means "the only Inca." What deity was he associated with?

  • A
    Earth
  • B
    Wind
  • C
    Sun
  • D
    Mountain

Question 79

These four letters were a symbol of the leadership and people of Rome, and emblazoned all over the empire. They can still be found throughout the city of Rome today. What are these letters? (Hint: Look closely at the picture)

  • A
    AWOL
  • B
    WWJD
  • C
    SPQR
  • D
    INFJ

Comments (2)

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Some of the choices were stupid but it was generally a cool quiz

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Was hard but I did well . Thank you to author

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