Deck 6: New Empires in Iran and Greece, 2000 B.C.E.- 651 C.E.

Question 1

The largest and most powerful empire during the lifetime of Herodotus was

A)Sparta.
B)Athens.
C)Persia.
D)Egypt.
E)Macedonia.

Answer 1

Persia.

Question 2

During Herodotus's lifetime,what dynasty ruled over the Persian Empire?

A)Sassanid.
B)Parthian.
C)Medean.
D)Achaemenid.
E)Zoroastrian.

Answer 2

Achaemenid.

Question 3

According to the Avesta,Zoroastrians believe that Ahura Mazda is the Lord of

A)Peace.
B)Art.
C)Rain.
D)Speech.
E)Truth.

Answer 3

Truth.

Question 4

The Avesta is book from circa 1000 B.C.E.best described as a collection of

A)Business laws.
B)Hymns.
C)Natural observations.
D)Letters from Zoroaster.
E)Political biographies.

Question 5

The first Indo-European migrants settled in Western Iran,which had all the following geographical features except

A)High plateaus.
B)A major river system.
C)High mountains.
D)Deserts.
E)Salt lakes.

Question 6

The first area that Indo-Iranians irrigated for farming was an area in southwest Iran called

A)Media.
B)Bactria.
C)Babylonia.
D)Parthia.
E)Persis.

Question 7

The Indo-Iranians closely resembled the Aryans who settled in India,except that they Indo-Iranian caste system had how many ranks?

A)Unlimited.
B)Seven.
C)Two.
D)Five.
E)Three.

Question 8

History has honored Herodotus

A)As the founder of Greek democracy.
B)For his work, The Histories of Persia.
C)For his description of the Mediterranean world of his time.
D)By calling him the father of history.
E)For his biography of Alexander the Great.

Question 9

According to the Avesta,when the Indo-Iranians migrated into Iran,they found no political groups larger than a tribe and

A)No cities.
B)Another empire.
C)The Zoroastrian religion.
D)Large cities.
E)Many Babylonia villages.

Question 10

Which of the following topics does Herodotus'Histories describe?

A)History. 
B)Folklore. 
C)Geography.
D)Plants. 
E)All of these choices.

Question 11

Although the Avesta contains the core teachings of Zoroastrianism,it is also an important source of knowledge about the

A)Era of Persia ruled by Alexander.
B)Achaemenid court.
C)Early history of the migrants to Iran.
D)Relationship of Persia with Mesopotamia.
E)Satrap system.

Question 12

When Herodotus was born,his home city of Halicarnassus was a Greek-speaking part of what empire on the southwest coast of the modern-day country of Turkey?

A)Athenian.
B)Persian.
C)Roman.
D)Egyptian.
E)Alexander's.

Question 13

Although the Persians were the most powerful empire at the time,what area were they unable to defeat?

A)Turkey.
B)Spain.
C)Greece.
D)Assyria.
E)Egypt.

Question 14

The third ruler of the Persian Empire,Darius,ruled through satraps,who were local governors responsible for

A)Invading nearby states and adding them to the Empire.
B)Selecting the fittest soldiers for the Persian army.
C)Converting local populations to Zoroastrianism.
D)Collecting taxes and forwarding to the Persian emperor.
E)Building a local palace for the Persian emperor.

Question 15

Herodotus called his work Historia,meaning "investigation" or

A)"Survey."
B)"Speeches."
C)"Interviews."
D)"Study."
E)"Inquiry."

Question 16

The prophet Zoroaster my have lived about

A)2000 B.C.E.
B)500 B.C.E.
C)1500 B.C.E.
D)1000 B.C.E.
E)100 B.C.E.

Question 17

According to Herodotus,in the debate among the Iranian leaders,Darius defended what kind of government?

A)Republic.
B)Oligarchy.
C)Monarchy.
D)Democracy.
E)Federation.

Question 18

The major concept in Zoroastrianism is that all humans would appear before Ahura Mazda on the day of judgment and

A)There was no moment of creation; the world always was.
B)Correct donations to Ahura Mazda will guarantee one's passage into the land of light.
C)Each human has the ability to shape his world by choosing between good and bad.
D)There is no conflict between good and evil.
E)Fire-altars guarantee an afterlife in the light.

Question 19

When did the Indo-European migrantsbegin to settle in modern-day Iran?

A)1000 B.C.E.
B)500 B.C.E.
C)200 B.C.E. 
D)100 C.E. 
E)5000 B.C.E. 

Question 20

The Avesta is written in

A)Sumerian.
B)Persian.
C)Hebrew.
D)Indo-Iranian.
E)Greek.

Question 21

Which of the following statements about Minoa and Mycenea is not correct?

A)The Minoan civilization had a wide network of trade.
B)The civilization of Minoa was centered on Crete, with the Mycenean based on the Greek mainland.
C)Minoan history has been studied through the translation of Mycenean Linear A.
D)The history of Mycenea is limited to mainly records, lists, and accounting.
E)The epic poems of Homer describe the Trojan Wars, which, if factual, would have occurred during the Mycenean era.

Question 22

Darius's favorite wife was Artystone,who in addition to being a daughter of Cyrus and half-sister of Cambyses,also

A)Was a high priestess of Zoroastrianism.
B)Was half Greek.
C)Could read and write in Perisan.
D)Was appointed satrap of Baylonia.
E)Had her own palace.

Question 23

The Babylonian Captivity refers to the

A)Time in Hebrew history when the Jews were made captive in Israel by Cyrus.
B)Defeat of Babylonia and when its Jewish inhabitants were brought to Susa as slaves.
C)Time when the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland in Babylonia.
D)Era when the Hebrew evolved the idea monotheism.
E)Time the Jews were held captive in Babylon by the Achaemenids.

Question 24

In addition to solidifying his rule by marrying Artystone,the daughter of Cyrus,Darius I justified his accession to the Persian throne by

A)Leading a rebellion against Gaumata the Magian.
B)Having it bestowed on him by Ahura Mazda.
C)Inheriting the throne from his father, who was the brother of Cambyses.
D)Marrying his eldest son to Artystone, daughter of Cyrus and half-sister to Cambyses.
E)Being hailed by a group of Zoroastrian priests.

Question 25

Which of the following was not a part of the reformed tax system devised by Darius I?

A)Each satrap committed his province to a specific amount of revenue each year.
B)Some regions were allowed to pay in kind.
C)Being a Zoroastrian reduced the amount of tax paid.
D)Silver was the empire's base of value.
E)The officials under the satrap were recruited locally.

Question 26

Zoroastrian rituals revolved around

A)Fire altars.
B)Water.
C)Wheat.
D)Sacred cows.
E)Horses.

Question 27

Which of the following is not true of the army created by Cyrus?

A)The king's bodyguards, the Immortals, were an elite corp in the Persian army.
B)The citizen-soldier army became professional and full-time.
C)A description of the army organization was provided by Herodotus.
D)Only Persians were qualified to become military leaders.
E)The army consisted of citizen-soldiers.

Question 28

In 550 B.C.E.,Cyrus was able to found the Achaemenid dynasty when he defeated what rival tribe?

A)Babylonia.
B)Greek.
C)Parthians.
D)Scythians.
E)Medes.

Question 29

Why did the Minoan civilization come to an abrupt end,in 1500 B.C.E.according to the most likely theory?

A)They were conquered by the Mycenaeans.
B)There was a civil war between royal factions.
C)An epidemic killed half the population.
D)They were conquered by the Phoenicians.
E)The island Crete was flooded following a volcano eruption.

Question 30

The Royal Road of the Persian Empire linked the capital of Susa with

A)The Black Sea trade ports.
B)Cities on the Aegean coast.
C)Central Asian cities on the Silk Road.
D)Trade cities on the Oxus River.
E)The capital of the Egyptian Empire.

Question 31

In 530 B.C.E.,thePersian army met and was defeated by the Massagetae tribes located in

A)Arabia.
B)Central Asia.
C)The eastern Aegean.
D)Himalayas.
E)Present-day Turkey.

Question 32

Believing that dead flesh polluted the ground,how did Zoroastrians treat their dead?

A)Cremation.
B)Mummification.
C)Exposed body to elements and animals, and then buried remaining bones.
D)Immediate burial in unmarked graves so evil spirits could not find and steal the remain's soul.
E)Had to be buried facing west.

Question 33

How was the Persian Empire able to survive until 331 B.C.E.despite frequent royal assassinations occurring the last one hundred years?

A)The strength of the Achaemenid throne.
B)Its administrative structure.
C)The strength of its large professional army.
D)Weaker neighbors.
E)Zoroastrianism.

Question 34

Which of the following statements about Persian couriers is true?

A)They traveled 90 miles a day. 
B)Couriers were Persian merchants who developed a vast trade network.
C)They were crucial to government communication with its vast empire.
D)The courier system stationed a man and a horse a day apart. 
E)All of these choices. 

Question 35

As the Indo-Europeans settled down to farm in Greece,they grew olive trees in the foothills and grapes on the hillsides. Which crop did they find grew well in the lowlands?

A)Wheat.
B)Rice.
C)Grapes.
D)Barley.
E)Millet.

Question 36

According to Herodotus,the fundamental virtue of Zoroastrianism was

A)Military prowess.
B)Speaking the truth.
C)Dedication to farming.
D)Domestic harmony.
E)Physical beauty.

Question 37

At its high point,Athens could have been described as

A)A major military power.
B)The major city-state of ancient Greece.
C)The most democratic of all Greek city-states.
D)A famous cultural center.
E)All of these

Question 38

Darius I became king of kings by vigorously defending monarchy and

A)Winning a horse race.
B)Assassinating Cyrus.
C)Killing a magi pretender to the throne.
D)Destroying the oligarchical government.
E)Being declared king as son of Cambyses.

Question 39

What is Herodotus describing when he writes: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stay from the swiftest possible completion of their appointed stage?"

A)Persian cavalry.
B)Persian attack ships.
C)Phoenician ships.
D)Alexander's cavalry.
E)Persian couriers.

Question 40

In 1952 Michael Ventris discovered that Linear B was a dialect of

A)Persian.
B)Minoan.
C)Sanskrit.
D)Greek.
E)Turkish.

Question 41

Although the Persians suffered a great defeat at Salamis,why was Artemisia hailed by Herodotus?

A)She acted as a nurse, and in the heat of battle, served both Greeks and Persians.
B)Fighting alongside her son, she saved the lives of many fallen Persians.
C)Captured by the Greeks, she refused to surrender her sword and shield.
D)As a naval commander, she commanded five Persian triremes.
E)She freed her husband, who had been captured and imprisoned in Athens.

Question 42

The Persians,written by Aeschylus,was a tragedy based on what event in Greek-Persian history?

A)Xerxes's failed invasion of Greece.
B)The Greek runner who raced back to Athens to proclaim the Persian defeat at Marathon.
C)The sack of Athens.
D)The defeat of the Persians at Thermopylae.
E)The capture of the Persian king Xerxes.

Question 43

Which of the following was not a key aspect of the writing system of the Phoenicians?

A)Its phonetic base could be understood by most languages.
B)Vowels were not used, as readers could insert them.
C)The system was easy to learn and memorize.
D)Each of the 22 letters represented a different consonant.
E)It had no pictorial symbols.

Question 44

The term direct democracy,which was established in Athens in 508 B.C.E.,gave citizenship to

A)Married women.
B)Foreigners serving in the Athenian military.
C)Male citizens, 20 years or older.
D)Only those Athenians who owned land.
E)Women who had served in the military.

Question 45

The Odyssey and the____,written by Homer approximately 800 B.C.E.,describes the Trojan War.

A)The History of Greece.
B)Iliad.
C)The History of the Peloponnesian Wars.
D)The Histories.
E)Avesta.

Question 46

The Olympic games were held every four years starting in 776 B.C.E.at the temple of

A)Hera.
B)Athena.
C)Zeus.
D)Aphrodite.
E)Apollo.

Question 47

All of the following occurred during the second Persian attack on Greece led by Xerxes at Thermopylae except

A)The Persian defeat at Thermopylae.
B)The capture and execution of Xerxes.
C)Athens and its allies repelled the Persians.
D)The Athenian navy proved itself to be superior.
E)The Persian defeat at Salamis.

Question 48

Plato,the student of Socrates,established an Academy which emphasized

A)Military training.
B)Ethics.
C)The weakness in a democracy.
D)Questioning authority.
E)All of these choices. 

Question 49

Why were Spartan women allowed to run their estates when other Greek women could not?

A)Spartans worshipped a female deity.
B)Their husbands were away at war.
C)The leaders of Sparta were a council of elder women.
D)Spartan women were powerful because they served in the army.
E)Spartan women owned all the land in Sparta.

Question 50

Though the veracity of his account is subject of debate,according to Herodotus,how did the Phoenicians circumnavigate Africa?

A)They had maps from the Sea Peoples to follow.
B)They invented a new kind of sail.
C)They traded cloth for food with African natives.
D)They planted and harvested grain along the coast.
E)They established trade outpost along the African coast.

Question 51

The description of the stunning Athenian victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon was written by

A)Homer.
B)Darius.
C)Herodotus.
D)Solon.
E)Xerxes.

Question 52

What was the sentence of Socrates after he was found guilty of impiety?

A)Drink hemlock.
B)Exiled from Athens.
C)Apologize or face prison.
D)Sacrificed to the gods.
E)Slave work in the silver mines.

Question 53

By 814 B.C.E.,the Phoenicians had established a Mediterranean port at Carthage and several other cities along

A)The Northern Aegean.
B)The west coast of Africa.
C)The Arabian peninsula.
D)The Nile River.
E)The North African coast.

Question 54

What did the Parthenon symbolize to the Athenians?

A)A symbol to the rest of the city-states of the power of Athens.
B)A temple to its city deity, Athena.
C)A symbol of the power of the Athenian navy.
D)A memorial to those who died fighting the Persians.
E)A temple to Athena and a memorial to those who died in the Greek victory against Persia.

Question 55

The Greeks personally communicate with their gods through prayers and

A)Through high priests.
B)By making human sacrifices.
C)By observing special signs in nature.
D)By consulting with oracles.
E)Through individual prayer.

Question 56

Early Athenian democracy,based on Solon's reforms,gave men political power based on

A)Time served in the military.
B)Service and donations given to the city-state in building projects.
C)Public vote by citizens in a public forum.
D)The amount of land and property one owned.
E)Family background.

Question 57

As an oligarchy,who were the dominant political leaders in Sparta?

A)A small wealthy group of elders.
B)Women.
C)Military generals.
D)Helots.
E)Citizen-soldiers.

Question 58

Which of the following statements is not true?

A)After the Peloponnesian Wars, Athens never recovered its position as a powerful city-state.
B)Athens became the cultural center of philosophy.
C)Macedonia assumed the lead in the Greek world as the center of democracy.
D)Macedonia became the powerhouse after the Peloponnesian Wars.
E)Alexander assumed the leadership of Macedonia after the assassination of Philip.

Question 59

Beginning around 800 B.C.E.,a Greek city-state was characterized by

A)Temples to guardian deities.
B)Markets.
C)Individual courts and laws.
D)Its own army.
E)All of these choices.

Question 60

The closest Athens came to having an empire was when

A)They conquered Sparta after the victory of Salamis.
B)Pericles led Athens to victory over Persia.
C)They tried to force members of the Delian League to become their subjects.
D)Athens created colonies in Sicily.
E)The city created the Delian League and invaded Persia.

Question 61

Please define the following key terms.
Sparta

Question 62

Please define the following key terms.
Phoenicians

Question 63

Please define the following key terms.
Achaemenids

Question 64

What happened to Alexander's empire after his death?

A) His army continued on past India.
B) His empire broke into three sections.
C) His empire expanded to include China.
D) His empire expanded to include all of North Africa.
E) All of these choices. 

Question 65

Please define the following key terms.
Athens

Question 66

Please define the following key terms.
Darius I

Question 67

Please define the following key terms.
Herodotus

Question 68

In what way was Alexander's empire more Persian than Greek?

A)Government documents were written in Persian.
B)The tax system under Alexander was modeled after the Persian system.
C)After his death, Alexander's empire broke into three major sections, each ruled by a successor dynasty that followed Achaemenid practice.
D)Recently discovered leather scrolls indicate that Alexander used the same political format as the Persian. 
E)All of these choices. 

Question 69

Please define the following key terms.
oracle

Question 70

Please define the following key terms.
Ahura Mazda

Question 71

Please define the following key terms.
Cyrus

Question 72

Please define the following key terms.
satraps

Question 73

After Alexander's death,which third of his empire did the Ptolemy take charge of?

A)Macedon.
B)Greece.
C)Persia.
D)Egypt.
E)India.

Question 74

Please define the following key terms.
The Avesta

Question 75

Please define the following key terms.
Zoroastrianism

Question 76

Please define the following key terms.
polis

Question 77

Please define the following key terms.
Darius

Question 78

Please define the following key terms.
Lydian coins

Question 79

Please define the following key terms.
Mycenaean

Question 80

Please define the following key terms.
Persia