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  1. Which film portrays events from the earliest period of Roman history?

    • a) Agora

    • b) Spartacus (Correct: Spartacus and the slave revolt take place in 73-71 BC)

    • c) Gladiator

    • d) Carry On Cleo

  2. In which film does the main character kill Hypatia?

    • a) Gladiator

    • b) Spartacus

    • c) Agora (Correct: Davos, a fictional character, kills Hypatia in Agora)

    • d) Carry On Cleo

  3. Which of the following emperors made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire?

    • a) Julius Caesar

    • b) Augustus

    • c) Constantine I

    • d) Theodosius I (Correct: Emperor Theodosius I made Christianity the state religion)

  4. Which film features a Roman Emperor who is assassinated in his bath?

    • a) Gladiator

    • b) Agora

    • c) None of the above (Correct: Commodus was assassinated in his bath, but that is not how it is depicted in Gladiator)

    • d) Carry On Cleo

  5. In the film Gladiator, what does Marcus Aurelius initially intend to do after his death?

    • a) Divide the empire between Commodus and Maximus

    • b) Establish a new dynasty

    • c) Return Rome to a Republic (Correct: Marcus Aurelius dreams of returning Rome to a Republic)

    • d) Expand the empire further

  6. Which film is a parody of the historical epic genre?

    • a) Spartacus

    • b) Gladiator

    • c) Carry On Cleo (Correct: Carry On Cleo is a British comedy that parodies historical epics)

    • d) Agora

  7. The Spartacus revolt began in which Italian city?

    • a) Rome

    • b) Capua (Correct: The slave revolt began in Capua, Southern Italy)

    • c) Alexandria

    • d) Athens

  8. Which historical figure was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt?

    • a) Alexander the Great

    • b) Julius Caesar

    • c) Cleopatra VII (Correct: Cleopatra VII was the last of the Ptolemies)

    • d) Mark Antony

  9. The reign of which emperor is the setting for the film Gladiator?

    • a) Marcus Aurelius

    • b) Commodus (Correct: Gladiator starts with the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180 AD and ends with the death of Commodus in 192 AD)

    • c) Augustus

    • d) Constantine

  10. Which of the following messages is present in the film Spartacus (1960)?

    • a) criticizing religious fundamentalism

    • b) anxiety about how powerful people use their power

    • c) anti-segregation (Correct: The film contains the anti-segregation message and condemnation of the Hollywood Blacklisting)

    • d) all of the above.

  11. In which modern-day country was the film Agora filmed?

    • a) Spain

    • b) Italy

    • c) Malta (Correct: Agora was filmed in Malta)

    • d) England

  12. Which of the following was a criteria for the Nerva-Antonine dynasty?

    • a) being related by blood.

    • b) being adopted. (Correct: the succession was by adoption, not blood-relations)

    • c) being appointed by the senate

    • d) winning a gladiatorial battle.

Historical Context and Timeline

  • General Knowledge: The midterm will assess your knowledge of Roman history, including the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire, and key figures such as Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and Commodus.

  • Timeline of Key Events:

    • 8th Century BC: Rome begins as a small town in Italy.

    • 3rd-2nd Centuries BC: Rome expands around the Mediterranean, conquering the Carthaginian Empire and Hellenistic Greek kingdoms.

    • 73-71 BC: The slave revolt led by Spartacus.

    • 60-53 BC: The First Triumvirate (Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar).

    • 55-30 BC: Setting for Cleopatra and Carry On Cleo.

      • 55 BC: Julius Caesar's first invasion of Britain.

      • 49 BC: Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, initiating a civil war.

      • 48 BC: Julius Caesar defeats Pompey in Egypt and meets Cleopatra.

      • 44 BC: Julius Caesar is assassinated.

      • 31 BC: Octavian defeats Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium.

      • 30 BC: Mark Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide; Egypt becomes a Roman province.

    • 27 BC: Octavian becomes Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, and establishes the Pax Romana.

    • 1st-2nd Century AD: Pax Romana.

    • AD 68: Death of Nero; civil war breaks out.

    • AD 69-96: Flavian Dynasty.

    • AD 96-180: Nerva-Antonine Dynasty; Emperors were adopted, not blood-related.

    • AD 161-180: Reign of Marcus Aurelius.

      • AD 180: Death of Marcus Aurelius; Beginning of Gladiator.

    • AD 180-192: Reign of Commodus.

      • AD 192: Death of Commodus.

    • 3rd Century AD: Crisis of the Third Century.

      • AD 293: Diocletian divides the empire into four sections (Tetrarchy).

    • Early 4th Century: Constantine reunites the empire and becomes the first Christian Roman Emperor.

      • AD 380: Christianity becomes the state religion of the Roman Empire under Theodosius I.

      • AD 391: The Temple of Serapis in Alexandria is destroyed by Christians; Start of Agora.

      • AD 395: Theodosius I dies, and the Roman Empire is divided for the last time.

      • AD 412: Cyril becomes Bishop of Alexandria.

      • AD 415: Hypatia is murdered; End of Agora.

    • AD 476: Fall of Western Roman Empire.

    • AD 1453: Fall of Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire).

History in Film

  • Signaling the Roman World: Films use various visual and auditory cues to indicate ancient Rome, including:

    • Costumes: Soldiers in similar armor across different eras, togas for senators and emperors.

    • Architecture: Colosseum, triumphal arches, and senate buildings.

    • Interior Decor: Houses and palaces based on the ruins of Pompeii, Roman Egypt, and hybrid Egyptian-Greek styles.

  • Inaccuracies and Their Effects:

    • Made-up Characters: Maximus in Gladiator or Davos in Agora serve specific narrative purposes.

    • Changed Characters: Alterations to historical figures like Commodus or Hypatia to create a more compelling story.

    • Altered Plotlines: Changing historical events, such as Mark Antony meeting Cleopatra before Caesar's death in Carry On Cleo.

Ancient Themes in Films

  • Slaves and Gladiators: How slaves are portrayed in film impacts who the audience perceives as the "good guys".

  • Enemies of Rome:

    • External threats such as barbarians and "effeminate" Easterners.

    • Internal threats such as corruption and ambitious individuals.

The Historical Epic Film in Hollywood

  • Uses of Ancient History:

    • Bringing the past to life visually.

    • Providing escapism and spectacle.

    • Offering commentary on contemporary issues through a historical lens.

  • Characteristics of Historical Epics:

    • On-screen text to establish historical context.

    • Large scenery and sets.

    • Strong characters, both heroes and villains.

    • Weighty themes and important contemporary messages.

  • Contemporary Context of the Films:

    • Spartacus (1960): Made in the U.S. during the Cold War and Civil Rights Movement.

    • Carry On Cleo (1964): Made in Britain as a parody of historical epics.

    • Gladiator (2000): Made in the U.S., reflecting anxieties about power and leadership.

    • Agora (2009): A European film responding to religious fundamentalism and the "War on Terror".