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Quiz about Medes and Persians From Tribes to Empire
Quiz about Medes and Persians From Tribes to Empire

Medes and Persians: From Tribes to Empire Quiz

Another chronological quiz regarding the Medians and Persians, from tribes to Empire.

A multiple-choice quiz by FrancuDaniel. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
FrancuDaniel
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
354,393
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
10 / 15
Plays
283
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Question 1 of 15
1. The Persian and Median tribes were of which origin? Hint


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Question 2 of 15
2. The Median state, founded by Deiokes, began its existence under the influence of: Hint


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Question 3 of 15
3. Which Median king destroyed the power of Assyria in alliance with Nabopalassar, the king of Babylon? Hint


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Question 4 of 15
4. Which of these is considered the founder of the Persian Achaemenid Empire? Hint


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Question 5 of 15
5. Cyrus the Great conquered which state in Asia Minor? Hint


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Question 6 of 15
6. Cyrus the Great also conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. Who was the king of Babylon when this event happened? Hint


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Question 7 of 15
7. This king, renowned for his cunning tactics and cruelty to his own family, conquered Egypt with the use of the cats. Who was he? Hint


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Question 8 of 15
8. After the "accidental" death of Cambyses II, the Persian throne was usurped by this magus: Hint


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Question 9 of 15
9. These two Persian kings failed to conquer continental Greece: Hint


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Question 10 of 15
10. Darius I built a new capital. Which of these was it? Hint


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Question 11 of 15
11. This Greek historian was one of the 10,000 mercenaries that supported Cyrus the Young against his brother Artaxerxes II in 401 B.C. Who was he? Hint


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Question 12 of 15
12. The satrap of Caria, Mausolus, and his wife, Artemisa, are related to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a monumental tomb. Where was it located? Hint


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Question 13 of 15
13. Who is responsible for the conquest of the Persian Achaemenid Empire (334 B.C.-327 B.C.)? Hint


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Question 14 of 15
14. Darius III, the last Achaemenid king, was assassinated by which satrap of Bactria? Hint


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Question 15 of 15
15. The core of Achaemenid Persia became part of which Hellenistic kingdom after Alexander the Great died in 323 B.C.? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The Persian and Median tribes were of which origin?

Answer: Indo-European

 Persian and Medes are considered part of the large Indo-European family that spread from India to the Atlantic Ocean: Celts, Thracians, Italic populations, Germanic, Slavs and Balto-Slavs, Greeks, Indians, Scythians, Hittites.

Persians and Medes established themselves in the Iran region at around 1000 B.C.
2. The Median state, founded by Deiokes, began its existence under the influence of:

Answer: Assyrians

 Deiokes, according to Herodotus, is considered the first Median king (approx. 728 B.C.-675 B.C.) and established the capital at Ecbatana.
3. Which Median king destroyed the power of Assyria in alliance with Nabopalassar, the king of Babylon?

Answer: Cyaxares

 Cyaxares not only conquered half of the Assyrian state at the end of the 7th century B.C., the other half being under the influence of the Babylonian New Kingdom, but also repelled the incursions of Scythians and Cimmerians from the northern borders.
4. Which of these is considered the founder of the Persian Achaemenid Empire?

Answer: Cyrus II the Great

 Cyrus II the Great (559 B.C.-530 B.C.) defeated the last Median king, Astyages, transforming the Median state intp a Persian satrapy. He fabricated himself a legend similar to Sargon or Romulus and Remus about his birth to legitimate his power. Generally, he is regarded as a good king, who manifested tolerance over the conquered populations.
5. Cyrus the Great conquered which state in Asia Minor?

Answer: Lydia

 The conquest of Lydia is associated with a few legends regarding the Lydian King Croesus, one of the wealthiest monarchs of those times. Cyrus condemned Croesus to death by burning, but the heavy rain that came down made him rethink his decision, as it suggested divine intervention. The Lydian king was released and ruled as a Persian subject for the following years.
6. Cyrus the Great also conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. Who was the king of Babylon when this event happened?

Answer: Nabonidus

 The fall of Babylon depended more on strategy than fighting. According to some sources, the course of Euphrates was diverted, so that the Persians could enter through the channels. Nabonidus was spared, but his son, Belshazzar was put to death. Babylon became a Persian satrapy - the one that paid the highest tribute.
7. This king, renowned for his cunning tactics and cruelty to his own family, conquered Egypt with the use of the cats. Who was he?

Answer: Cambyses II

 Cambyses II killed his sister and his brother, suffering from what we would probably call paranoia. In Egypt, according to some accounts, he asked his soldiers to paint cats on their shields and, also, gather to cats from the area to throw them towards the Egyptians on the moment of the decisive battle. (Cats were sacred in Ancient Eygypt).
8. After the "accidental" death of Cambyses II, the Persian throne was usurped by this magus:

Answer: Gaumata

 Gaumata posed as Cambyses II's brother, Bardyia, whom many thought had been killed by Cambyses (as some texts, especially by Herodotus, relate). Gaumata was unmasked as an imposter and had his ears cut off. Later, Darius Hitaspes and six other nobles killed him at Nisa.
9. These two Persian kings failed to conquer continental Greece:

Answer: Darius I, Xerxes

 Darius started the Median Wars (492 B.C.-479 B.C.), suffering the famous defeat at Marathon (490 B.C.), while Xerxes lost his fleet at Salamis (480 B.C.). Despite this, the Greek cities from the western shores of Asia Minor remained under Persian influence until 449 B.C (Peace of Kallias).
10. Darius I built a new capital. Which of these was it?

Answer: Persepolis

 Persepolis was built by around 520 B.C. Among the many buildings in the city stands the Apadana, the royal palace of Darius, completed by his son, Xerxes. Persepolis was burned by Alexander the Great in 330 B.C. in retaliation for the burning of Athens by Xerxes in 480 B.C.

The ruins of Persopolis are about 70 km north east of modern Shiraz in Iran.
11. This Greek historian was one of the 10,000 mercenaries that supported Cyrus the Young against his brother Artaxerxes II in 401 B.C. Who was he?

Answer: Xenophon

 Xenophon marched across a large part of the Persian Empire, returning to Greece with his fellow mercenaries after the death of Cyrus the Young, the satrap of the provinces in Asia Minor - adventures described in the narrative "Anabasis".
12. The satrap of Caria, Mausolus, and his wife, Artemisa, are related to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a monumental tomb. Where was it located?

Answer: Halicarnassus

 Mausolus provides good example of the power and wealth of a Persian satrap. Started in 355 B.C., the mausoleum - the word is derived from his name - was built by his wife after his death.
13. Who is responsible for the conquest of the Persian Achaemenid Empire (334 B.C.-327 B.C.)?

Answer: Alexander the Great

 Alexander destroyed the Persian satraps at Arbella in Asia Minor in 334 B.C., then inflicted decisive defeats on Darius III at Issos in 333 B.C. and Gaugamela in 331 B.C. Alexander occupied Susa, Persepolis and Ecbatana and proclaimed himself Persian king, just as he proclaimed himself pharaoh in Egypt.
14. Darius III, the last Achaemenid king, was assassinated by which satrap of Bactria?

Answer: Bessos

 Darius III sought refuge with the intent of organizing ressistence against Alexander, but Bessos assassinated him and proclaimed himself king Artaxerxes III. Eventually, Bessos was captured by Alexander's soldiers and crucified, according to Quintus Curtius Rufus, a Roman historian.
15. The core of Achaemenid Persia became part of which Hellenistic kingdom after Alexander the Great died in 323 B.C.?

Answer: Seleucid Kingdom

 The Seleucid Kingdom was founded by Seleucos I Nikator, one of Alexander's generals.
Source: Author FrancuDaniel

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
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Referenced Topics
General   History   World   Vocabulary   Ancient History   Asian Geography   Names   India   Cats   India History   Borders   Pharaohs   Greece Geography   Greek Language   Persian Empire   Alexander The Great   Egypt History   Iran History   Greek History   Hittites  

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