Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,
I have to say it.
Going over this week’s posts, I feel a bit like I’m in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or something!
Lots of talk of mystical rituals, amulets, higher beings, and all kinds of mysteries…
So if you want a dive deep into the “enchanted world” world of ancient gods, spirits, and religious practices, check out this week’s episode of Podcasts with Professors, featuring Anya discussing spiritual beliefs in the ancient world with Michael Satlow.
It’s a fascinating exploration of how ancient society integrated their day-to-day lives with a vivid, fully-realized conception of the supernatural… and what we can learn from them today.
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So, now is the time to see if you can tell the truth from the phantoms in this week’s Weekly Wisdom Quiz.
As always, all questions are based on article and resources published this week at Classical Wisdom. A full roundup of them all is available just after the quiz, alongside the answers.
And if you’re looking for another challenge, this week we also had a special guest post from Etymon, offering a fun Classically-themed brain teaser, also available in the roundup.
Now, are you ready?
1. How does Michael Satlow describe the supernatural beings of Late Antiquity?
a) As forces encountered only by priests
b) As existing within a kind of hierarchy
c) As metaphors invented by philosophers
d) As essentially identical beings with equal power
2. Modern-day Etruria corresponds primarily with which three Italian regions?
a) Sicily, Calabria and Campania
b) Lombardy, Veneto and Piedmont
c) Apulia, Basilicata and Molise
d) Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio
3. What was probably the most popular function of ancient amulets?
a) Keeping evil demons or bad spirits away
b) Guaranteeing victory in battle
c) Predicting political events
d) Producing wealth
4. According to the story related by Herodotus, which brothers led the forefathers of the Etruscans out of Lydia?
a) Romulus and Remus
b) Castor and Pollux
c) Tyrrhenus and Tarchon
d) Agamemnon and Menelaus
5. How are we best to interpret what is traditionally labelled “spells” in the ancient world?
a) As meaningless superstitions
b) As prayers or powerful requests
c) As scientific experiments
d) As theatrical performances
6. Who declared that “Etruria is the originator and mother of all superstition”?
a) Massimo Pallottino
b) Herodotus
c) Virgil
d) Arnobius the Elder
7. Which Egyptian pharaoh defeated the Sea Peoples at the Battle of the Delta?
a) Akhenaten
b) Ramesses III
c) Thutmose III
d) Tutankhamun
8. What is one of the problems associated with use of the term “pagan”?
a) Because of its derogatory associations
b) It referred exclusively to Roman soldiers
c) It described only Greek religion
d) It did not exist before the Middle Ages
Answers
B) As existing within a kind of hierarchy (Can We Return to an Enchanted World?)
D) Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio (Did Odysseus Found Rome?)
A) Keeping evil demons or bad spirits away (Can We Return to an Enchanted World?)
C) Tyrrhenus and Tarchon (Did Odysseus Found Rome?)
B) As prayers or powerful requests (Can We Return to an Enchanted World?)
D) Arnobius the Elder (Did Odysseus Found Rome?)
B) Ramesses III (Did Odysseus Found Rome?)
A) Because of its derogatory associations (Can We Return to an Enchanted World?)
🏺The Wisdom Scale: Etruscans & Enchantment Edition✨
🌫️ 0 - 2 Correct: Lost in the Mist
The Etruscans remain mysterious, the spirits invisible, and the amulets aren’t helping. Fortunately, every journey into the ancient world has to begin somewhere.
✨ 3 - 4 Correct: Enchantment Initiate
The invisible world is coming into focus. Gods, spirits, prayers and rituals are starting to look less like isolated “superstitions” and more like part of everyday ancient life.
🕯️ 5 - 6 Correct: Walker of the Enchanted World
The boundaries between the spiritual and everyday worlds have all but disappeared. You understand why Late Antiquity could truly be described as an “enchanted world.”
🦉 7 - 8 Correct: Master of Mysteries
From the Sea Peoples to supernatural hierarchies, very little escapes you. You’ve navigated antiquity’s more mysterious landscapes with formidable skill.
So, how did it go? Did you get lost in the labyrinths or emerge victorious? Let us know in the comments below!
Until next week…
All the best,
Sean Kelly
Managing Editor
Classical Wisdom
Only 4/8 this week. I must have slept in class.
6/8 with a couple of lucky guesses