Practice Exam - Greek Identity and the Olympic Games

Multiple Choice (2 points each)

1. The Olympic Games in ancient Greece were:
   A) Primarily military drills
   B) Religious festivals and athletic competitions
   C) Political debates between city-states
   D) Theater performances

2. The first recorded Olympic Games were held in:
   A) 490 BCE
   B) 776 BCE
   C) 1200 BCE
   D) 393 CE

3. The Olympic Games likely originated from:
   A) Roman gladiatorial combat
   B) Minoan bull-leaping festivals
   C) Mycenaean funeral games
   D) Spartan military training

4. Which Homeric hero held funeral games for Patroclus?
   A) Odysseus
   B) Achilles
   C) Agamemnon
   D) Hector

5. What does the Greek word “kleos” mean?
   A) Wealth
   B) Honor
   C) Glory or fame
   D) Victory in war

6. Which of the following was not an event in the funeral games described in the Iliad?
   A) Chariot racing
   B) Wrestling
   C) Pankration
   D) Footrace

7. Which two temples were located at Olympia?
   A) Temple of Apollo and Temple of Athena
   B) Temple of Zeus and Temple of Hera
   C) Parthenon and Erechtheion
   D) Temple of Artemis and Temple of Demeter

8. The statue of Zeus at Olympia was made of:
   A) Marble
   B) Bronze
   C) Gold and ivory
   D) Limestone

9. Who sculpted the statue of Zeus at Olympia?
   A) Polykleitos
   B) Praxiteles
   C) Myron
   D) Pheidias

10. The 12 metopes on the Temple of Zeus depict:
    A) The Trojan War
    B) The 12 Labors of Heracles
    C) The deeds of Theseus
    D) The adventures of Odysseus

11. The west pediment of the Temple of Zeus shows:
    A) The chariot race of Pelops
    B) The battle of Marathon
    C) The Centauromachy
    D) The sack of Troy

12. In the Centauromachy, the Lapiths represented:
    A) Wildness and chaos
    B) Logic and civilization
    C) Foreign invaders
    D) Divine punishment

13. The east pediment of the Temple of Zeus shows:
    A) Chariot race between Pelops and Oinomaos
    B) Zeus defeating the Titans
    C) Achilles slaying Hector
    D) The judgment of Paris

14. Where was Pelops originally from?
    A) Sparta
    B) Crete
    C) Lydia
    D) Thessaly

15. Which god gave Pelops a magical chariot?
    A) Zeus
    B) Poseidon
    C) Apollo
    D) Hermes

16. What material was Pelops’ shoulder made from after being revived by the gods?
    A) Bronze
    B) Gold
    C) Marble
    D) Ivory

17. Who cursed Pelops’ family?
    A) Oinomaos
    B) Myrtilos
    C) Poseidon
    D) Zeus

18. Which famous Classical sculptor created Hermes and the infant Dionysus?
    A) Pheidias
    B) Praxiteles
    C) Lysippos
    D) Polygnotos

19. The earliest Olympic Games had only one event:
    A) Pankration
    B) Stadion race (~190 meters)
    C) Wrestling
    D) Chariot racing

20. What was the Olympic truce called?
    A) Arete
    B) Ekecheiria
    C) Kleos
    D) Demos

21. Which of the following was not allowed during the Olympic truce?
    A) Entering Olympia with an army
    B) Conducting war
    C) Death penalty enforcement
    D) Athletic competition

22. What prize did Olympic winners receive?
    A) Money
    B) Olive wreaths, palm branches, wool ribbons
    C) Land grants
    D) Silver cups

23. The Persian officer Tigranes was shocked that Greeks competed:
    A) Naked
    B) For glory instead of money
    C) Against foreigners
    D) Without helmets

24. What does “pankration” mean?
    A) Victory crown
    B) All power
    C) Endless glory
    D) Olympic oath

25. How did Glaucus win his boxing match at Olympia?
    A) He used his father’s advice to land a decisive blow
    B) He bribed the judges
    C) He fled and was awarded victory
    D) He fought with armor

Free-Response Questions (4 points each)

FRQ 1:
Explain the religious significance of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece and how the events connected to Greek identity.

FRQ 2:
Describe the myth of Pelops and its connection to the Olympic Games. Include how this myth was represented in the art at Olympia.

Answer Key

Multiple Choice:

1. B

2. B

3. C

4. B

5. C

6. C

7. B

8. C

9. D

10. B

11. C

12. B

13. A

14. C

15. B

16. D

17. B

18. B

19. B

20. B

21. D

22. B

23. B

24. B

25. A

Model Free-Response Answers:

FRQ 1 – Religious Significance & Greek Identity
The Olympic Games were held in honor of Zeus at the sacred site of Olympia. They combined athletic skill with religious devotion, including offerings, sacrifices, and competitions dedicated to the gods. Myths, such as those of Pelops and Heracles, were represented in temple sculptures, reinforcing cultural values. The Games united Greeks from different city-states under a shared identity, emphasizing ideals like arete (excellence), kleos (glory), and physical perfection. Participation was limited to free Greek-speaking men, further defining Greek cultural unity.

FRQ 2 – Myth of Pelops & Olympic Connection
Pelops, son of Tantalos, was resurrected by the gods after being killed and served to them as food. Poseidon gave him a magical chariot to win the hand of Hippodameia in a race against King Oinomaos. In some versions, Pelops won by cheating, bribing the charioteer Myrtilos, who cursed his family. Pelops was believed to be the mythical founder of the Olympic Games, and his race was depicted on the east pediment of the Temple of Zeus. The myth tied heroic achievement to the Games, symbolizing skill, divine favor, and the cultural importance of competition.