Part 2 — Answer key

Compare your answers after you have finished Part 1.

1. In this ancient history quiz, you are asked which famous monument stands on the Giza Plateau near modern Cairo. Which option should you choose?
   The Great Pyramid of Khufu
2. The Nile River in Egypt flows from higher elevations in the south northward toward the Mediterranean Sea.
   True
3. While reviewing ancient history trivia about Greek religion, you read that the ancient Olympic Games were held in honor of a particular deity. Which god was the focus of this festival?
   Zeus
4. A museum guide explains that ancient Egyptians carefully preserved bodies with wrappings, resins, and protective charms. In ancient history quiz questions, what is usually given as the main purpose of this practice of mummification?
   Improve health in the present life
5. In an ancient history class, your teacher holds up a modern scholar's book about life in the Roman Empire and asks what type of source it is for that period. How should you classify this book?
   Secondary source on Rome
6. The Inca Empire in the Andes built an extensive road network even though it did not regularly use wheeled vehicles for long-distance transport.
   True
7. When studying ancient history, archaeologists never rely on written records and instead focus only on physical artifacts they excavate.
   False
8. A student summarizing ancient Roman government writes that citizens elected officials who served limited terms and shared power with a senate of aristocrats. Which type of political system is the student describing?
   Republic led by elected magistrates and a senate
9. On a field trip to a museum, you see a large stone with carved laws where a king claims to bring "justice" and "order" to his people. Which ancient civilization and legal tradition are you most likely looking at?
   Babylon under Hammurabi
10. A tablet in an ancient history exhibit is described as having been created about five centuries before the traditional date used to mark the start of the Common Era. How should its date most appropriately be written in modern historical notation?
    c. 500 BCE
11. Archaeologists uncover a carefully planned city with straight streets in a grid, advanced drainage, and few monumental palaces. Based on common ancient history quiz questions, which early civilization does this settlement most likely belong to?
    Indus Valley
12. You are cataloging a clay tablet covered in wedge-shaped impressions that record deliveries of grain and oil. Which writing system, frequently mentioned in ancient history trivia questions, are you most likely dealing with?
    Cuneiform
13. In ancient Athens, the philosopher Socrates is known for writing a series of philosophical dialogues that describe his own trial and ideas.
    False
14. Roman roads such as the Via Appia were built only for military use and were closed to merchants, travelers, and other civilians.
    False
15. You are analyzing a map of the Peloponnesian War that highlights Athens and its allies around the Aegean Sea, along with references to maritime tribute. Which strategic advantage did Athens primarily rely on in this conflict?
    Dominant navy and control of sea routes
16. A passage in your ancient history textbook describes Rome fighting a series of wars with Carthage for dominance of Mediterranean trade. According to most ancient history trivia questions on this topic, what was the key strategic prize contested in these Punic Wars?
    Control of sea routes around Sicily and the western Mediterranean
17. A researcher is comparing how scholars reconstruct Maya and Aztec religious practices. For the Maya, which type of evidence is especially valuable because their cities declined earlier and detailed Spanish accounts are more limited?
    Carved stone inscriptions and surviving Maya codices
18. Arrange these developments in the Greek world and surrounding regions in chronological order, from earliest to latest.
    Correct order: Expansion of Macedon under Philip, who unites Greek city-states under his leadership → Campaigns of Alexander that carry Macedonian power deep into the Persian Empire → Breakup of Alexander's empire into separate Hellenistic kingdoms → Gradual Roman conquest of the Hellenistic eastern Mediterranean
19. The Neo-Assyrian armies of the ancient Near East are often associated with extensive use of iron weapons and complex siege engines against fortified cities.
    True