Ancient Wars Trivia

1. Within the ancient Egyptian army was an elite fighting force known as the Medjay. Eventually the Medjay contained soldiers from all places in the Egyptian empire, but from what region did the group originate?

From Quiz Best of the Best: Elite Soldiers

Answer: Nubia

The Nubians were the neighbors of the ancient Egyptians to the south in what is northern Sudan today. Named because they came from Medjay, documents show that Nubian soldiers began serving the pharaoh during the Old Kingdom (approximately 2575 BC to 2150 BC). By the time of the Middle Kingdom (1975 BC to 1640 BC) the Medjay were more of a cultural group representing nomadic tribes who worked on many different levels (traders, servants, temple employees) for the Egyptians. By the time of the 18th Dynasty (1550 BC to 1292 BC) of the New Kingdom they had become an elite fighting force in the military. Used for a variety of purposes, the Medjay protected tombs and cemeteries, the pharaoh's family and palace, capital cities, and borders. Originally members of the force came from a particular tribe; over time, however, other Egyptians were allowed into the Medjay.

From Quiz Ancient Greek War History

Answer: Spartans

Spartans were trained from the age of 7. They were an elite infantry. They were not good at naval and cavalry warfare, but their phalanx was the greatest.

From Quiz The Battle of Zama

Answer: October 19, 202 BC

Zama took place in 202 BC, after almost 16 years of fighting between Rome and Carthage. August 2, 216 BC was the Battle of Cannae, a huge victory for Carthage. June 21, 217 BC was the Battle of Lake Trasimene, a victory for Carthage. June 22, 207 BC was the Battle of the Metaurus, a major defeat for Carthage.

From Quiz Roman Legion vs. Macedonian Phalanx

Answer: Persia

Battles like Issus and Gaugamela destroyed the Persian armies and allowed Alexander the Great to conquer an enormous portion of the largest empire of the ancient world.

From Quiz Greatest Roman Generals: Scipio Africanus

Answer: Battle of Ticinus; 18 years old

Scipio was not in command of the field, but he fought bravely and even saved his father, who had been wounded by the Carthaginians.

From Quiz Famous Roman Battles II

Answer: Marcus Claudius Marcellus

After he annihilated a massive Roman army at Cannae, Hannibal attempted to seize the town of Nola. He was brought to a stalemate by the impressive general and would face two more such results in the next two years.

From Quiz Famous Roman Battles I

Answer: Allia River

The Romans outnumbered the Gauls significantly, but when their allies fled at the sight of the ferocious Gauls, leaving the Roman flanks exposed, the Romans succumbed to a Gallic onslaught and fled. The Gauls then plundered the great city.

From Quiz Ancient Weapons

Answer: a sling

The Bible tells us that David took five smooth stones from the river, put one in a sling, spun it and slew Goliath. We won't get into the physics of the sling as a force-multiplier here.

From Quiz Second Punic War

Answer: 218 BC

Hannibal set out for Italy in 218 BC from New Carthage. He crossed the Pyrenees, the Rhone river, and the Alps all in under one year, and by the time he reached Northern Italy, had roughly 30,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, and around 30 elephants.

From Quiz Egyptian Campaigns 1

Answer: his stepmother

Only after the death of his larger-than-life stepmother Hatshepsut, who reigned as pharaoh in her own right, did Tuthmosis III take the throne and strengthen Egypt's borders, then under threat from the Syrians and Palestinians. All in all, he led 17 military campaigns during his reign, building an empire stretching from the Euphrates river to Nubia (the Sudan).

From Quiz Great Battles of the World - Cannae

Answer: Rome and Carthage

The battle was fought between the armies of Carthage under Hannibal, and the Roman legions under Lucius Aemilius Paulus and Gaius Terentius Varro.

From Quiz Hoplites

Answer: 2.7 metres

They were 2.7 metres at first, but they were eventually exchanged for smaller weapons such as javelins or daggers to allow greater mobility.

From Quiz Ancient Warfare

Answer: Speira

Many states used the phalanx, most famously Greece and Macedonia. Other than the first five ranks a phalanx's spears were held upright. This aided in disrupting missiles aimed at the phalanx.

From Quiz Fall of Masada

Answer: fortress

The Masada citadel is located in the Judean desert, a deserted outcropping of rock. It was massively built by the Romans and was made into a formidable fortress. It was well defended and was supposed to be a summer palace for the Roman ruler over Judea, or a place to retreat to if and when there would be a rebellion. Ah, the irony.

From Quiz Antique Battles And Warfare

Answer: Sabines

The Volsci are the ones Coriolanus became mixed up with. The Etruscans were the main pre-Roman civilisation in Italy. Some of their towns are Perugia, Volterra etc. The Sabines were invited for a nice get-together, but Romulus used the opportunity to run off with what in popular terms has been called 'the Sabine Virgins'.

From Quiz Ancient Military History

Answer: Assyrians

After defeating the Israelites, the Assyrians deported the Hebrews to areas around Western Asia. This act is known to Hebrew history as the Diaspora.

From Quiz Best of the Best: Elite Soldiers

Answer: Thebes

The historian Plutarch wrote quite a bit about the Sacred Band of Thebes. He said that it came into existence c. 378 BC, and was organized by the general Gorgidas. The group was made up of 150 male couples; only the soldiers who were the best of the best were invited to join. Typically a younger man was paired with a veteran. The idea was that soldiers who were romantically linked would fight harder to save their partners than heterosexual soldiers who didn't have as much to lose. Gorgidas apparently used the group to serve in the front rank of his phalanx formation, but eventually the band became an assault group that led the attack. Their first recorded victory was against an ally of Sparta in 375 BC, and they defeated Sparta's army in 371 BC at the Battle of Leuctra. The group ceased to exist after their defeat at the hands of Philip II, his son, Alexander, and the Macedonians in the 338 BC Battle of Chaeronea.

From Quiz It Takes Skill to Kill

Answer: Caltrop

Also called a crow's foot, the earliest known use of the caltrop was by the Persians at the Battle of Gaugamela against Alexander the Great. This type of weapon was used by many different groups; for example, it was utilized in both ancient Rome and feudal Japan. Evidence has even been found that suggests the caltrop was used at Jamestown, the first successful English colony in America. Basically made of metal spikes, the genius behind the caltrop is that no matter how it is placed, there is always one spike that points upward. In ancient times it was used effectively against horses, elephants, camels, chariots, and people; in modern times, it is very effective against vehicles that have tires.

From Quiz Ancient Greek War History

Answer: The Sacred Band

If you picked the Immortals you need to look up your history. They were the elite force in Persia.

From Quiz The Battle of Zama

Answer: Hannibal Barca

Over 2000 years later, Hannibal is still regarded as one of the greatest military leaders in history. Hannibal is noted for his invasion of the Italian peninsula and for crossing the Alps with war elephants. His greatest victory was at the Battle of Cannae, which so devastated the Roman army that Carthage was able to invade Italy at will. Cannae is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant tactical battles in history. Hannibal died by his own hand between 183 and 181 BC. Hamilcar, the father of Hannibal, died in 228 BC. Hasdrubal, the brother of Hannibal, died at the Battle of the Metaurus in 207 BC. Hammurabi (no Barca) was a Babylonian King.

From Quiz Roman Legion vs. Macedonian Phalanx

Answer: A long spear,a small round shield and a short sword

Contrary to what one would expect, the typical Macedonian phalangite did not have a large round shield, or hoplon, like in the traditional Greek phalanx. They only had a small one, similar to those used by skirmishers. There wasn't much need for one anyway: against melee weapons the long sarissas (long spears) kept enemies at a distance, and against arrows the phalangites of the ranks after the fifth kept the spears at a tilted angle to deflect projectiles.

From Quiz Greatest Roman Generals: Scipio Africanus

Answer: Battle of Cartagena; Hispania; 209 BC

In 210 BC, Scipio offered to take command of a Roman army that was to be sent to Hispania after his father and uncle were killed in battle by the Carthaginians. Surprising the three enemy commanders in Hispania, he managed to attack and storm Carthago Nova, the base of Carthaginian power in the country.

From Quiz Famous Roman Battles II

Answer: First Battle of Capua

In this battle Hannibal routed a Roman army led by the two consuls Flaccus and Pulcher. His cavalry defeated the Roman cavalry but just as he was about to close in on them reinforcements arrived and the Romans escaped.

From Quiz Ancient Weapons

Answer: cestus

The Greeks used cesti that were leather thongs tied around the hand. The Romans added spikes and iron plates. They were also used in Roman gladiator bouts until banned in the first century B.C.

From Quiz Second Punic War

Answer: Tiberius Sempronius Longus

Tiberius Sempronius Longus was actually in Sicily when Hannibal had arrived in Northern Italy. Sempronius was immediately sent to counter Hannibal when Publius Cornelius Scipio, Senior, was injured in combat.

From Quiz Egyptian Campaigns 1

Answer: camped outside Megiddo

Megiddo was a fortress at the head of the pass through Camel Ridge, overlooking the Valley of Jezreel in present-day Israel. It controlled the major military and trade routes to Lebanon. According to the Book of Revelation in the Bible, at the end of time the forces of good and evil will fight the battle of Armageddon there.

From Quiz Great Battles of the World - Cannae

Answer: Lake Trasimene

Hannibal's army of 50,000 took the Roman legions completely by surprise when he launched his ambush on the shores of Lake Trasimene. 40,000 Roman soldiers were killed, captured or drowned for the loss of just 1,500 Carthaginan soldiers.

From Quiz Hoplites

Answer: Doru

This was the first weapon used by a hoplite or Spartan hoplite.

From Quiz Name That Battle (BCE)

Answer: Battle of the Granicus

Fought in 334 BCE, this battle effectively announced that Alexander was a force to be reckoned with, as he crushed the Persians with very minor losses to his own forces. The Battle of the Granicus marks the point where Alexander's dream of conquering Asia began to look somewhat achievable.

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Last Updated Apr 13 2024 5:48 AM

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