History Bowl Questions 2025-2026

A series of flashcards covering important historical questions and answers.

What caused the destruction of Pompeii?

Mt. Vesuvius eruption

What body of land does the star on the map show?

England

What did Hadrian’s Wall mark?

The borders of the Northern Roman Empire

Which two Germanic tribes invaded and took over Britain after the Romans left?

Angles and Saxons

What was the name of the Temple of Athena on the Acropolis?

Parthenon

What was the capital of the Persian Empire?

Persepolis

Who was the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire?

Romulus Augustus

What type of art is made up of geometric shapes featuring sculptures, metalwork, and carvings, inspired by the spread of Christianity in Ireland?

Celtic Art

Who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey?

Homer

In what year was the Second Temple destroyed?

A.D. 70

Which great figure in history was referred to as the 'Scourge of God'?

Attila the Hun

Who issued the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313?

Constantine

Who won the Peloponnesian War?

Sparta

Who raised twin brothers Romulus and Remus?

A she-wolf

What did Alexander the Great name many cities along his war path?

Alexandria

Which Athenian leader started off the process of democracy?

Solon

What is the name of the famous building called the Church of San Vitale?

A famous church in Italy.

Which country invented the alphabet and was a great city of commerce?

Phoenicia

What is the name of the famous sculpture known as the Gero Crucifix?

An important medieval sculpture.

What woman led a tribe of Celts to attack the Romans in London in A.D. 61?

Boudicca

Name the codified Roman law that became the basis of much of today's European law.

Code of Justinian

What is the name of the famous building known as the Great Mosque and Cathedral of Cordoba?

An architectural marvel in Spain.

Which two countries conquered Greece after the Peloponnesian War?

Macedonia and Rome

Which battle is considered the most glorious victory in Greek history?

The Battle of Marathon

Which Barbarian leader sacked Rome in A.D. 410?

Alaric

What was the Eastern Roman Empire called after the fall of Rome?

Byzantine Empire

What is the name of the epic written about the voyages of Odysseus?

The Odyssey

Name three Persian leaders who fought with the Greeks and are referred to in the Bible.

Darius, Xerxes, and Cyrus

What is the title of this piece of art known as Chi Rho?

A Christian symbol.

In which battle did the Romans defeat Attila the Hun?

Battle of Chalons

Which famous Greek philosopher was called the Man of Wisdom?

Aristotle

How long were the Romans in Britain?

400 years

What years define the Classical Age of European History?

500 B.C. to A.D. 476

What body of land does the star on the map show?

Wales

What two levels did a young man have to pass through to become a knight?

Page and Squire

On which river was Rome located?

Tiber River

Which battle is considered the most glorious defeat in Greek history?

The Battle of Thermopylae

Who wrote about the Persian Wars and is called the Father of History?

Herodotus

In which city was democracy first developed?

Athens

Which modern-day northern African nation is bordered by Algeria and Libya?

Tunisia

What animal did Hannibal use to cross the Alps and invade the Roman Republic?

Elephants

Which type of government is ruled 'by the few'?

Oligarchy

What was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire?

Constantinople

Who did Octavian defeat in the Battle of Actium in A.D. 31?

Antony and Cleopatra

Who was the last of the Ptolemy line of Egyptian pharaohs?

Cleopatra

What do you call a payment for the release of a hostage?

A ransom

Who divided the Roman Empire in 286?

Diocletian

Which two powers were involved in the Peloponnesian War?

Athens and Sparta

What was the capital of the Western Roman Empire?

Rome

When was the Battle of Tours?

A.D. 732

What was the name of Alexander’s general whose family became the pharaohs of Egypt?

Philadelphus Ptolemy

What was the Roman term for rich land owners?

Patrician

What is the name of this famous building called Hagia Sophia?

A significant religious site in Istanbul.

What body of land does the star on the map show?

Scotland

Which Italian tribe lived between the Tiber and Arno Rivers and ruled the early Romans?

Etruscans

Who reformed Sparta into the greatest military state in Greece?

Lycurgus

What is the name given to the Medieval Age in which there are few written recordings?

The Dark Ages

What were the fierce, blue-painted warriors of Britain called?

Celts

What body of land does the star on the map show?

Ireland

Which three Greek cities tried to rule all of Greece?

Athens, Sparta, and Thebes

What was the second barbarian tribe to attack the city of Rome?

Vandals

What group was formed to protect Greece from Persian attacks?

Delian League

Who was the first Roman Emperor?

Caesar Octavian Augustus

How long did Pax Romana last?

200 years

When did Alexander the Great die?

323 B.C.

Name the king of the Franks who converted to Christianity in A.D. 496.

Clovis

What event led the Roman soldiers to leave Britain?

The fall of the Western Roman Empire

What was the period between 235-284 in Rome called?

Barrack Emperors Period

Who was the last of the 'Five Great Emperors'?

Marcus Aurelius

Who is considered the worst emperor of Rome?

Nero

The name of England is derived from which group of people?

Angles

What symbol is shown on the flag of Wales and was also the symbol of King Arthur?

Red dragon

Which Macedonian leader first conquered Greece?

Philip of Macedonia

What did knights in the Middle Ages call their system of values?

Chivalry

Which Celtic king invited the Saxons to come to Britain?

Vortigern

Who was the Greek philosopher that recorded the teachings of Socrates?

Plato

What do you call a person who memorized and sang stories?

A bard

What was the favorite sporting event for knights in the Middle Ages?

Jousting

Name the leader of the tribe that sacked Rome in A.D. 455.

Genseric

What was the first barbarian tribe to attack the city of Rome?

Visigoths

Who was blamed for the great fire in Rome in A.D. 64?

Christians

What islands did the Romans gain after the First Punic War?

Sardinia and Sicily

Which great leader cried when there was no more land to conquer?

Alexander the Great

In what year did Attila the Hun die?

453

What is the name for the Greek military formation that made the Greeks superior fighters?

Phalanx

What was the Roman term for the common people?

Plebeians

What is the name of the epic written about the Trojan War?

The Iliad

Which ancient war destroyed the Athenian Empire?

Peloponnesian War

What marked the northern boundary of the Roman Empire in Britain in A.D. 122?

Hadrian’s Wall

What body of land does the star on the map show?

Northern Ireland

What is the name of this famous building called Mont-Saint-Michel?

A historic abbey in France.

Which type of government is ruled 'by the people'?

Democracy

What great empire fell in 476?

Western Roman Empire