Greek History Quiz

[Nahuixtelotzin]

1. Who murdered the tyrant Hipparchos?

2. The athenian conquest of which island became most famous for the artful dialogue between Athenians and the inhabitants of the island in Thukydides' work?

3. After which incident did the Spartans plea for peace during the Pelopponesian War and the Athenians foolishly denied it.

4. Which general negotiated the "foul peace" with Sparta?

5. Between which cities occured the first "historical" greek war. (Bonus: How is the war called?)

6. Which building was the only one that remained when Alexander's army destroyed the greek Thebes?

7. What's the term for the 5m-pikes of the Macedonian Phalangites?

8. What nasty things did Alkibiades according to the accusation of his enemies?

9. What was the name for spartiates who couldn't afford participating in the communal meals (syssitia) anymore?

10. Why was the battle of Thermopylai finally lost? (They would have lost anyway, but...)

 

[Nahuixtelotzin]

No answers? Well, some are tough I think, but 1, 4 and 6 should be answerable at least for every greek.
If no one answers today, I'll give hints.

 

[Blitz79]

Well, this is just a matter of re-reading Thucydide's history of the Pelloponesian war. I don't have time, but its an interesting subject. Have you read any other Greek authors?

 

[Nahuixtelotzin]

As a whole I've read only Thucydides and Herodot, partially I've read Plutarch, Pausanias, Platon (Nomoi, Republic), Demosthenes and short excerpts of several others

 

[Nahuixtelotzin]

Hints:

1. It were two people, a pair of homosexual lovers. Their statue stood at the Akropolis but was carried away by the Persians. They can be seen in the museum of Naples.

2. It is a small island in southern Aegais with Dorian populace which remained neutral and was thus punished by Athenians

3. ~300 elite Spartiats were surrounded on a spot in western Peloppones. Their loss was devastating to the Spartans. What was the place?

4. His name didn't hold what it promised...

5. It was between two cities on Euboia

6. Think of a famous theban poet.

7. It's similar to a thessalian city name but with an "s" in front.

8. Statues have weak points too...

9. Can't think of a hint.

10. Not all greeks are nice...

 

[Nahuixtelotzin]

I forgot to tell that I've read plays of Sophokles and Euripides too and half of Homer's Odysee

 

[Sodak]

I've read some plays, the Illiad and Odyssey, some general history (all long ago), but am clueless about the answers to these!

6) the theatre
8) chopped off the statue's "privates"?

 

[Nahuixtelotzin]

6. Wrong

8. I guess the hint was too obvious. He is said to have cut off the private partes of the Hermes statues and was blamed for ridiculing the Eleusinian Mysteries, an important athenian festival. After being blamed, the athenians sent the fastest trireme after Alkibiades who was on the way to Sicily with the athenian army. They wanted to trial him for blasphemy, which could have ended with death penalty. So he preferred to seek asylum at Sparta and gave them very useful hints for their campaigns against Athens. Later in the war however he changed sides again. Yuo may call him a bastard but he was a pretty clever and cool one.

 

[willemvanoranje]

I knew #8.....it didn't happen of course. But did he die as an old man or was he attacked by political enemies who killed him from distance with arrows after setting his house on fire.....I read both....

About #10, they were betrayed. The enemy were lead around the pass and the Spartans were attacked in the back.

 

[Nahuixtelotzin]

#10 to willemvanoranje

About #8 you're right of course. Plutarch has him shot with arrows by his enemies who didn't dare to get closer to him. I don't know the other source, but probably it's in Xenophon's version then.