Weekly Wisdom Quiz

Sparta and Scandalous Women

Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,

What is knowledge?

It’s the sort of question we often ask around these parts… and it’s worth dwelling on.

After all, they say more than 90% of ancient literature has been irretrievably lost. What that doesn’t tell you, though, is how misleading the surviving texts can be!

This week, for example, we looked at ‘the Spartan Mirage’ and the most scandalous women of ancient Rome. Both cases involve an important awareness of how ancient sources are not always the most reliable…

But if you want to test what you do know, you’re in the right place, as it’s time for the Weekly Wisdom Quiz!

As always, all questions are based on resources published this week here at Classical Wisdom. A full roundup of them all is available just after the quiz, along with the answers.

Let’s go!

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1. The writings of which ancient historian features the famous Spartan phrase “Come back with your shield or on it?”
A. Herodotus
B. Xenophon
C. Plutarch
D. None, it’s a modern invention of Hollywood

2. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, what happens to the home of Philemon and Baucis?
A. It is struck by lightning
B. It is transformed into a temple
C. It is washed away in a flood
D. It is turned into a forest

3. Which of these prominent Romans was married to Fulvia?
A. Marcus Aurelius
B. Cicero
C. Marc Antony
D. Augustus

4. What is ‘the Spartan mirage’?
A. The idea that our modern understanding of Sparta is an inaccurate result of the biases of ancient historians
B. A deliberate tactic of misinformation deployed against Athens during the Peloponnesian War
C. The lost writings and mythology of the Spartans
D. Xenophon’s belief that the Sparta of his time was inferior to earlier Spartan society

5. Which of these roles did Theodora work as before she married Byzantine emperor Justinian I and became Empress?
A. Nurse
B. Political Adviser
C. Teacher
D. Actress

6. The ancient Roman home was designed and decorated to reflect that it was a place of…
A. Personal privacy and family matters
B. Professional identity, as business took place there and important guests were received
C. Secularism, as all religious practices took place only in public spaces and gatherings
D. Military preparation and training

7. In ancient Greece, what were katharmoi?
A. Purification rites
B. Military tactics
C. A set of political processes to determine who could stand for election
D. A type of food

8. Which of his children did Agamemnon sacrifice?
A. Orestes
B. Elektra
C. Iphigeneia
D. Chrysothemis

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Answers

1. C. Plutarch (The Spartan Mirage)

2. B. It is transformed into a temple (“What Does Your Home Say About You?” Podcast)

3. C. Marc Antony (Top Ten Most Scandalous Women of Ancient Rome)

4. A. The idea that our modern understanding of Sparta is an inaccurate result of the biases of ancient historians (The Spartan Mirage)

5. D. Actress (Top Ten Most Scandalous Women of Ancient Rome)

6. B. Professional identity, as business took place there and important guests were received (“What Does Your Home Say About You?” Podcast)

7. A. Purification rites (Saved by the Smoke…)

8. C. Iphigeneia (Saved by the Smoke…)

The Wisdom Scale 🏛️

0 - 2 correct: 📜 Curious Student
You’ve opened the scrolls and joined the debate in the Agora. Not yet a master, but you’re asking the right questions.

3 - 4 correct: 🏛️ Rising Thinker
With wisdom and wit, you can now spar with sophists and keep your balance on the philosophical tightrope. Socrates would (probably) be proud.

5 - 6 correct: 🔥 Keeper of the Lamp
You carry the flame of knowledge through dark times, guiding others with reason and a dash of daring.

7 - 8 correct: 🌞 Philosopher Supreme
You’ve reached the heights, standing with Plato and Aristotle, basking in the bright clarity of truth. Truly a master of wisdom.

So, how did it go? Don’t forget to let us know in the comments below!

All the best,

Sean Kelly

Managing Editor

Classical Wisdom