Deck 2: The Greco-Roman World of Early Christianity

Question 1

What is Hellenization? In what ways do you think it might have affected the spread of Christianity?

Answer 1

Students should define Hellenization and discuss its spread under Alexander the Great. The spread of Greek culture and language paved the way for Christian missions: in this new cosmopolitan atmosphere, Christian missionaries moved easily throughout the empire and spread the good news via the lingua franca, Greek.

Question 2

Discuss some of the ways Greco-Roman religions differ from modern religions.

Answer 2

Students should discuss the following aspects of paganism: polytheism (perhaps discussing the levels of divinity within the pagan world), concern for present life, emphasis on cult, and relationship of empire and religion (church and state). In contrast, most modern religions are hierarchically organized, creedal, teach ethics, center on written authoritative texts, teach about an afterlife, and are exclusive communities.

Question 3

How did most people understand the relationship of human beings to the gods in the Greco-Roman world?

Answer 3

Students should explain the various tiers or levels of divinity in Greco-Roman polytheism. This is best summarized as a sort of "divine pyramid" in which the highest god is placed at the top, the other most powerful god(s) just below, and the more numerous but less powerful local deities (daimonia) toward the middle, followed by demigods and heroes and then human beings at the bottom. Many also worshiped household or family gods such as the Roman Penates or Lares, and each family was thought to have a special deity or "genius" who watched over the head of the household. The level of heroes or special figures might include persons such as the emperor, Hercules, or great philosophers.

Question 4

Define cultus deorum. What did it involve and what was its purpose? In what other ways did pagans communicate with their gods?

Question 5

What was probably the first book of the New Testament to be written?

A) Matthew
B) Romans
C) First Thessalonians
D) Mark

Question 6

Alexander the Great was originally king of what country?

A) Egypt
B) Palestine
C) India
D) Macedonia

Question 7

The spread of Greek culture and language is known as _____.

A) paganism
B) Hellenization
C) Greco-Roman world
D) daimonia

Question 8

When did Alexander the Great die?

A) 425 BCE
B) 323 BCE
C) 44 BCE
D) 70 CE

Question 9

When was The Life of Apollonius written?

A) first century BCE
B) first century CE
C) second century CE
D) third century CE

Question 10

Who wrote The Life of Apollonius?

A) Philostratus
B) Julius Caesar
C) Alexander the Great
D) Octavian

Question 11

Greco-Roman religion incorporated which of the following?

A) creeds
B) tolerance
C) sacred texts
D) ethical commitments

Question 12

Polytheism is the _____.

A) worship of one god
B) worship of nature
C) worship of many gods
D) worship of the emperor

Question 13

Which of the following was thought to be the most powerful of the gods?

A) Genius
B) Lares
C) Daimonia
D) Zeus

Question 14

Which of the following was not a household deity?

A) Penates
B) Lares
C) Daimonia
D) Genius

Question 15

Who among the following was not thought to be a demigod or divine man?

A) Alexander the Great
B) Pythagoras
C) Heracles
D) Philostratus

Question 16

The term "cult" means _____.

A) strange belief
B) magic
C) gods
D) care

Question 17

Which of the following refers to a group of lesser gods in the Greco-Roman world?

A) augurs
B) extispicy
C) polytheism
D) daimonia

Question 18

Which of the following was not used to determine the views of the gods?

A) extispicy
B) penates
C) auspices
D) divination

Question 19

When individuals wished to know the will of a god, they visited a(n) _____.

A) oracle
B) cult
C) daimonia
D) lares

Question 20

The leaders of priestly "colleges" were _____.

A) equestrians
B) geniuses
C) augurs
D) senators

Question 21

What does "gentile" mean?

A) penates
B) Jew
C) non-Jew
D) pagan

Question 22

Which was not a typical feature of Greco-Roman religions?

A) separation of church and state
B) polytheism
C) organization and hierarchy
D) cultic acts

Question 23

Most people in the ancient world believed that _____.

A) religion brought a happy afterlife
B) religion brought immortality
C) religion secured life in this world
D) religion helped only moral people

Question 24

Who among the following was often believed to be divine?

A) senators
B) equestrians
C) emperor
D) augurs

Question 25

Which term refers to the interpretation of a sacrificial animal's entrails?

A) lares
B) oracles
C) extispicy
D) augury

Question 26

In the Greco-Roman world, the religious and political realms typically _____.

A) functioned together in hopes of securing peace and prosperity
B) remained distinct; politicians did not participate in religion
C) remained distinct; politicians created their own religions
D) clashed; they couldn't agree on appropriate forms of worship

Question 27

Which of the following likely influenced the pagan persecution of Christians?

A) a general religious intolerance among pagans
B) the Christian refusal to participate in sacrifices honoring the emperor
C) the pagan's lack of familiarity with monotheism
D) Christianity was made illegal in the first century

Question 28

In the ancient world, most people _____.

A) were priests
B) worshipped the same, exclusive set of gods
C) participated in religious rituals
D) were monotheists

Question 29

Pagan religions typically lacked all of the following except _____.

A) systematic doctrine
B) an ethical system
C) sacred texts
D) temples

Question 30

Understanding Greco-Roman religion is useful for the study of the New Testament because _____.

A) the Greco-Roman world foreshadows the early Christian experience
B) New Testament authors wrote within the context of the Greco-Roman world
C) Greco-Roman prophets made predictions about Jesus
D) Jesus' ministry focused on converting pagans

Question 31

The term "gentile" designates _____.

A) a non-Jew
B) a Jew
C) a disciple of Jesus
D) someone who is Hellenized.

Question 32

Which of the following does not apply to Alexander the Great?

A) He was a brilliant military strategist.
B) He controlled much of the lands surrounding the eastern Mediterranean.
C) He was the first Roman emperor.
D) He promoted Greek culture.

Question 33

Polytheism _____.

A) was not exclusive
B) refers only to the highest level of Greco-Roman gods
C) was not the most popular form of religion in the ancient world
D) focused on the afterlife

Question 34

Which claim about Jesus would have been most easily understood by pagans?

A) Jesus offers salvation from sin.
B) Jesus maintains the Torah.
C) Jesus is the messiah.
D) Jesus performed miracles..