I Saw a Sign... Quiz | Place Names

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Starting from the city in the Netherlands where yours truly was born: "VLPIA NOVIOMAGVS BATAVORVM" Built against the hills on the banks of the river Waal (a distributary branch of the Rhine river), this city was established as a Roman army camp around the year 5 AD and claims to be the oldest city in the Netherlands. Where am I? [HINT: Operation Market Garden]

Answer: Nijmegen

Nijmegen was also the site of a famous revolt in 69 AD, which saw a local prince and auxiliary officer in the imperial Roman army Gaius Julius Civilis leading his Batavi tribe in a series of skirmishes against the Roman forces. They managed to destroy two Roman legions and generally embarrass the Roman leadership. Of course, once the revolt threatened to spiral out of control, the Romans retaliated and forced the Batavi into submission. The story of the revolt has been narrated by Roman historian Tacitus in his "Historiae".

Roman emperor Trajan allegedly gave Noviomagus Roman city rights (municipium) around 98 AD.

The liberation of Nijmegen and, strategically more important, the capture of at least one of the bridges across the Waal river were some of the objectives of Operation Market Garden in September 1944. The grim battle of Nijmegen and subsequently securing a land route to Arnhem took much longer than expected, as a result of which British and Polish troops, airdropped beyond the enemy lines near Arnhem, some 20 km further north, could not be reached in time. The allied troops were isolated and surrounded and suffered massive losses. Therefore, Market Garden is generally considered to have been a failure.

2. I'm still walking to Rome in Roman times... Going south from the oldest city in the Netherlands, Vlpia Noviomagvs, I walk though the gentle rural landscape of Limburg province until I'm finally close to what we would now call the Belgian border. I stumble upon a sign that says: "MOSA TRAIECTVM" Scrambling to recall my Latin lessons from so many years ago, I translate this sign as "Crossing of the Meuse (or Maas) River". Where am I? [HINT: EU Treaty 1992]

Answer: Maastricht

Beautiful Maastricht is the capital of the - perhaps surprisingly - hilly Dutch province of Limburg. The city is famous for its 'Burgundian lifestyle', which is a Dutch and Belgian way of expressing a life in (culinary) luxury and hedonism, after the once opulent life style of the Dukes of Burgundy (Bourgogne).

In 1992, the Treaty of Maastricht was signed here, which entailed the establishment of the European Union (EU), replacing its precursor the European Community (EC).

3. I'm still walking to Rome in Roman times... After my visit to what is now the Netherlands' most southern province, I cannot resist the opportunity to venture some 30 km eastwards into (21st century) Germany to visit the wholesome hot springs of: "AQV� GRANNI" Where am I now? [Hint: Carolus Magnus]

Answer: Aachen

Nowadays known as "Aix-la-Chapelle" to Francophones and "Oche" in the local dialect, Aachen evolved from an ancient Neolithic settlement, mainly due to the proximity of warm mineral springs in the area. The Romans established Aqvae Granni around 124 AD. The name means "Waters from Grannus" and refers to a Celtic god of healing that was worshipped there.

In Medieval times, Aachen became the preferred imperial residence for Carolus Magnus (aka Charlemagne aka Charles the Great) who was crowned Holy Roman Emperor there in 800 AD. Carolus Magnus ordered the building of the Aachen Cathedral (consecrated in 804 AD), which is one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe. The Palatine chapel of the cathedral saw the coronation of 30 kings and 12 queens.

4. I'm still walking to Rome in Roman times... The soles of my feet are itching. I get on the road again and hike some 150 km southwards from the westernmost city of (21st century) Germany through beautiful hilly scenery, until I finally crest a hill and see a valley with a town built on the banks of the river Moselle. Directing my steps towards this settlement, I soon stumble upon the following sign: "AVGVSTA TREVERORUM" Still in (21st century) Germany, in which "Kapital" city am I now?

Answer: Trier

Trier is considered the oldest city in Germany and the oldest diocese in Europe north of the Alps. Founded by the Celts in 400 BC as "Treuorum", it was conquered by the Romans who established "Avgusta Treverorvm" around 16 BC. Several Roman constructions can still be seen in Trier, such as a basilica, an amphitheater, bath houses and the Porta Nigra (the well preserved and impressive Roman city gate).

Arguably, Trier's most famous son is Karl Marx, author of "Das Kapital" and "The Communist Manifesto" (with Friedrich Engels) and shaper of the labor movement and socialist thinking.

5. I'm still walking to Rome in Roman times... Finding my pace, I head southwest from the oldest city in (21st century) Germany and visit the most important city of the Roman province Gallia Belgica: "DVROCORTORVM" Despite its origins as capital of the Belgian province, this city is not in Belgium, but happens to be the main center of the precious French Champagne region. Salut! Where am I now?

Answer: Reims

Famous for its cathedral and all the champagne houses (even though nearby �pernay deserves the accolade for being the center of the champagne production), Reims has played an important role in French history. In 496 AD, the first Frankish king Clovis was baptised there and (almost) all French kings were crowned in Reims until 1825. On 7 May 1945, the German capitulation was signed in Reims at the HQ of general Eisenhower.

Enough history already. After all this walking I'm craving a glass of bubbly...

6. I'm still walking to Rome in Roman times... Southwards! The champagne region was splendid, but now I long to take in the beauty of the Notre Dame on �le de la Cit� and rest on the banks of the Sequana river. Alas, or as a Roman would say: Heu! The cathedral has yet to be built, so I have to make do with just the river banks when I enter: "LVTETIA" Where am I now? Oh la la, no hint?

Answer: Paris

As I saunter through the streets of Lvtetia Parisii, it seems obvious that the Roman city was not nearly as important as the metropole Paris of today. But still, after Frankish king Clovis I made Paris the capital of his realm in 508 AD, it grew to be the biggest city in Europe in the Middle Ages and the center of the Enlightenment.

This, and the fact that the city was one of the first with gas street lighting, gave rise to its nickname "City of Lights". Nowadays, this city is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world (with 34 million tourist visits each year) and home to some 2.1 million inhabitants.

7. I'm still walking to Rome in Roman times... Refreshed by the sights and sounds of Lvtetia in the north of (21st century) France, I retrace my steps back to the Via Agrippa (those Romans sure know how to build roads!) and set course due southeast. After quite a long haul I see the capital of Gaul or Gallia in the distance: "LVGDVNVM" Founded in 43 BC, this important Roman city at the confluence of the Rh�ne and Sa�ne rivers was the birthplace of two Roman emperors, Claudius and Caracalla. Where am I now?

Answer: Lyon

Lugdunum got its name from the Celtic god of order and justice Lug and the word Dunus, making it the "Fortess of Lug". Lyon became the capital of the Roman province Gallia Lugdunensis (since 22 BC, Gallia was split in three Gaul provinces, the others being Gallia Belgica and Gallia Aquitania).

Nowadays, Lyon is home to more than 500,000 inhabitants (2.3 million in the greater Lyon area), making it the third city in France. Although beautiful and very much worth the visit, for most North Europeans Lyon these days evokes images of massive traffic jams in stifling heat, during our annual summer mass migration towards the Mediterranean in order to fix our vitamin D deprivation.

8. I'm still walking to Rome in Roman times... Temperatures are rising noticeably in the south of France, so I'm impatient to get to the Mediterranean Sea or as the Romans so humbly call it: Mare Nostrum (Our Sea). I pass endless lavender fields and vineyards, set on gentle hills, until at last I feast my eyes on blue waters stretching to the horizon. From a distance I can make out a nice harbour town and soon enough there is a sign: "MASSILIA" Where am I now?

Answer: Marseille

Founded by the Greeks from Phocaea around 600 BC under the name Massalia, Marseille became a hotspot for the trade between Greece and the Celtic tribes up north. It also served as a hub for famous explorers like Pytheas who circumnavigated Ireland and Great Britain and may even have reached Iceland in 400 BC.

In order to defend the city against Carthage, Massalia sought protection under Roman rule while keeping limited autonomy. However, after backing the wrong side in the battle between Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey), the city lost its autonomous privileges in 49 BC and was called "Massilia" since.

In the early 21st century, Marseille is the second largest city in France and its biggest trade port.

9. I'm still on my way to Rome in Roman times... My feet are killing me! I must have hiked some 1,400 km since my departure from my home town to the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean Sea and don't want to go on on foot. In the harbour I ask around and manage to secure passage aboard a navis oneraria (merchant ship) setting sail towards: "CALARIS" I have never heard of this city, but the captain explains that it is a former Carthaginian stronghold on the southern shores of the island Sardinia. Where am I headed?

Answer: Cagliari

Cagliari (also known as "Casteddu" in the local vernacular) is the capital of Sardinia and has a long and turbulent history. The earliest signs of human presence date back to Neolithic times. The city itself was founded as "KARALY" in the 8th or 7th century BC by the Phoenicians. In the centuries since, the city has been under the rule of the Carthaginian, Roman, Byzantine and Spanish Habsburg Empires. From 1324 to 1848, Cagliari was also the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which later sort of evolved into modern day Italy.

Visible remains of Cagliari's rich history include the largest Punic necropolis still in existence, a Roman amphitheatre and an aqueduct.

10. I'm still on my way to Rome in Roman times... Having enjoyed the Sardinian hospitality and sights so much, I find it hard to say my farewells and board another ship for the last eastbound stage of my trip. I watch the island dissolve in the distance and after a few days at sea (and an easy few kilometers on the road), I'm finally entering the eternal city! Mesmerized by the sheer vastness and abundance of the greatest city in the world, I pass the sign: "ROMA" Now, you already know where I am, but in which nearby harbour town, some 25 km southwest of Rome, did I alight from my ship?

Answer: Ostia

Ostia was Roma's harbour town at the mouth ("os") of the Tiber river. After a sacking by pirates in 68 BC (including the kidnapping of two senators), the Romans gave Marcus Tullius Cicero (yes, the lawyer!) the order to rebuild the city with the necessary fortifications.

In its heydays (2nd and 3rd century AD) Ostia had about 100,000 inhabitants, but slowly lost its relevance and ended up deserted after the construction of a new harbour. Due to silting, the ancient ruins no longer lie on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea, but some 3 km from the beach.

Source: Author Debarrio

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor spanishliz before going online.
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I Saw a Sign... Trivia Quiz

...or should I say: Vidi signvm? In my dream I found myself on my way to Rome, wearing a tunic and a pair of sensible walking sandals. I passed villages with unfamiliar names. Pro Iovum, can you tell me where I am? Thanks zorlock7 for the challenge

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