What Do You Know About Paganism? Trivia Quiz
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Most religions believe in a higher power, but not everyone is spiritual. Some people in the world don’t believe in a higher power, and it may be a coincidence, but most scientists fall under this cluster. What do you know about paganism in ancient history? Take up the quiz below and get to explore the world of pagans.
- 1.Ancient cults addressed themselves to many issues of which none were more important than an individual's morality or lack there or
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 2.In cities and towns all over the Mediterranean basin, ______ played a great part in emphasizing and spreading Dionysiac spirit or concept
- A.
The Shipyard
- B.
Nothing
- C.
The Palace
- D.
Philosophers
- E.
The Theatre
- 3.___ was the author of the Bacchae
- A.
Lucian
- B.
Aeschylus
- C.
Aristophanes
- D.
Cleopatra
- E.
Euripides
- 4.the author of Bacchae ended his days in Macedonia because he ___
- A.
found a job there
- B.
His wife from there was homesick
- C.
was perhaps exiled to there
- D.
He was invovled in a land speculation there
- E.
He hated cities and Macedonia had none
- 5.An important character in the Bacchae was Pentheus. in the play he represents _____
- A.
Equality
- B.
Rigidity
- C.
Passivity
- D.
Meekness
- E.
Openness
- 6.The so-called "prime directive" for adult men and women in Greek and Roman antiquity was to
- A.
A) own a business
- B.
B) own at lease one slave
- C.
C) learn to read
- D.
D) have a family with children
- E.
E) buy property
- 7.the ancient pagan governemnt of rome thoroughly screened and moderated all business (including cult) operations to insure against fraud, cheating and corruption
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 8.In pagan antiquity, the concept of real property was not as important as it is with us today
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 9.In pagan cults, the interior section of most temple was
- A.
A designated spot of worship to all
- B.
Open to only priest
- 10.Unlike the orphic hymns, the Homeric Hymns seem to be simply a literary creation rather than an actual "tool" used in rite and ritual
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 11.At times, politicians were interested in allying themsleves to Dionysus because the concepts he personified __________
- A.
A) would guarantee the "actior' vote
- B.
B) would guarantee the allliance to themselves of other politicians located in other cities
- C.
C) would guarantee the support for their polices from the rest of the gods and goddesses
- D.
D) would give to themselves the support of the population as a whole
- E.
Would give to themsleves the guaranteed support of the aristocracy
- 12._____ was one of the several political celebrities in antiquity who formed an 'alliance' with Dionysus
- A.
Tza Nicholas
- B.
Pliny
- C.
Alexander the Great
- D.
Julius Caesar
- E.
Augustus
- 13.Ecstasy means
- A.
Drunk
- B.
Stupidity of action and/or thought
- C.
Serenity of mind
- D.
Duty to a deity
- E.
None
- 14.The suppression of the ries of Baccus that the Roman historian Livy wrote about reveals that the Roman authorities were perhaps not su much disturbed at the cult's rites but instead at the cult's _____
- A.
A) use of strange food
- B.
B) origin of new music
- C.
C) introduciton of a new arcgutectual style
- D.
use of purple
- E.
Acquisiton of real property
- 15.
- A.
A) there was no concept of 'sin'
- B.
B) stealing
- C.
C) envy
- D.
D) violation of friendship
- E.
E) violation of a virgin
- 16.Our word 'cult' comes from the latin word cultus, whose meaning is
- A.
A) bizarreness
- B.
B) errancy (sin)
- C.
C) whimisical
- D.
D) privacy
- E.
E) nurturing
- 17.In most ancient pagan cults, sermons were frequent
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 18.In Alexander the False Prophet, the snake Glycon was supposedly a new manifestation of Ascipius, the god of _______
- A.
Marriage
- B.
Healing
- C.
Cash flow
- D.
Nothing, Asciepius was entirely a creation of Alexander
- E.
Fortune
- 19.The opposite of the Dionysian concept is the concept that _______ represents
- A.
Glycon
- B.
Apollo
- C.
Pan
- D.
Priapus
- E.
Ampelus
- 20.He phallus was symbol of fertility and potency. it was also symbol of
- A.
Domination
- B.
Boundaries
- C.
Stud farms
- D.
A&b
- E.
A&c
- 21.Today, the message of Dionysian concept for amny people in our culture is alien, distasteful and unsetting because of the concept's focus, among other things, on _______. Think!
- A.
Secrecy
- B.
Mystery
- C.
The soul
- D.
The body
- E.
The safety of the state
- 22.Strangely, none of the aspects of Dionysus cease to exist in the fifth century AD
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 23.Although perhaps having historical interest, the philosophical thought and writings of Plato had no relevance or use for philosophical development and dialogue in western culture
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 24.Metaphorically (or allegorically, or symbolically or conceptually, take your pick), the Dionysian concept invovles _________.
- A.
Life
- B.
Death
- C.
Ecstasy
- D.
Violence
- E.
All of the preceding
- 25.Omens were
- A.
The cause of disease
- B.
A type of fountain
- C.
A type of sausage
- D.
Messages from the gods
- E.
Caesar's troop
- 26.All of the anicent philosophical 'schools' of though originated in the eastern half of the Mediterranean basin
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 27.Many of the orphic hymns of Dionysus mention the use of ____ presumable in the reciting (or singing?) of hymns
- A.
Water
- B.
Bread
- C.
Marijuana
- D.
Incense
- E.
Garlic
- 28.The etymology of the word 'religion' comes (as most experts agree) from a root word meaning ______.
- A.
Faith
- B.
Blind
- C.
Enslave
- D.
Release
- E.
None of the preceding
- 29.Dionysus was born an immortal or become one?
- A.
Born
- B.
Became
- 30.The _______ believed that the universe is infinite and perishable
- A.
Pythagorean
- B.
Epicureans
- C.
Platonists
- D.
Stoics
- E.
None of the preceding
- 31.Many ancient priesthoods were political or appointed positions
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 32.The term 'sparagmos' refers to _________
- A.
Tearing to pieces
- B.
Messages from the gods
- C.
Depression
- D.
Recklessness
- E.
None of the preceding
- 33.In most ancient pagan cults, there were 'holy' books for the laity to read for the purposes of spiritual edification
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 34.Sex scenes appear in ancient ceramic wear, but, like our culture today, such scenes were frowned upon by the ancient Green and Roman cultures as well
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 35.Cynicism seems to be the only one of the many philosophical 'schools' of thought that manages to address the disenfranchised and un-empowered members of the population
- A.
True
- B.
False
- 36.By the way, the original meaning of the word 'cynic' meant
- A.
Skeptic
- B.
Pessimist
- C.
Birdbrain
- D.
Dog
- E.
Mole
- 37.The color purple was expense to produce. why?
- A.
It came from a rare plant
- B.
It came from mines located in present day Romania
- C.
It came from sea snails
- D.
It was imported from present day Vietnam
- E.
Ancient people did not have the color purple
- 38.In our language today the word 'bacchanalia' means _________
- A.
Excess
- B.
Food&drink
- C.
Orgies
- D.
"let it all hang out"
- E.
All of the preceding
- 39.From what city does the CURRENT meaning of the term 'bacchanalia' seem to originate?
- A.
Carthage
- B.
Assure
- C.
New York
- D.
Rome
- E.
Syracuse
- 40.It's about time we said, "Enough! Let's bring this semester to a close!" (haha)
- A.
True
- B.
False
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