Early Roman Society, Religion, and Values

Question 1

What term is given to kin by marriage?

Answer 1

Adfines

Question 2

What term is given to blood or adoptive relations through the male line?

Answer 2

Agnati

Question 3

What term is given to relationship to the immediate family either by blood or adoption?

Answer 3

Cognati

Question 4

At what three festivals might a Roman honor the Di Manes?

Answer 4

Lemuria (May), Parentalia (February), and Feralia (February)

Question 5

In Ancient Rome, women were always to be placed as a ward to some adult male: her father, husband, or guardian called what in Latin?

Answer 5

Tutor

Question 6

What women are free from patria potestas and the requirement of a tutor?

Answer 6

Vestal Virgins

Question 7

What term is given to a husband’s control over his wife?

Answer 7

Manus

Question 8

A sacrifice to Jupiter of a special cake was part of what Roman ceremony in which a husband could acquire manus over his wife?

Answer 8

Confarreatio

Question 9

What simpler form of marriage eventually replaced the confarreatio?

Answer 9

Coemptio

Question 10

In what type of marriage might a woman be married sine manu and remain under the power of her father?

Answer 10

Usus

Question 11

What Latin term is used to refer to a Roman’s independence from a head of household?

Answer 11

Sui iuris

Question 12

What Latin term is used to refer to a Roman’s dependence on a head of household?

Answer 12

Alieni iuris

Question 13

Who was the god of the stored harvest?

Answer 13

Consus

Question 14

Who was the god of planting?

Answer 14

Saturn

Question 15

Who was the god of rust or mildew?

Answer 15

Robigus

Question 16

Who was the goddess of flowers?

Answer 16

Flora

Question 17

Who was the goddess of fruits?

Answer 17

Pomona

Question 18

What Latin prayer often accompanied sacrifices indicating that the ritual was beneficial for both the spirits and the giver?

Answer 18

Macte esto (“Be thou increased”)

Question 19

At what festival would Romans kill a pregnant cow and make a sacrifice of her aborted calf in order to “transfer” fertility back into the earth?

Answer 19

Fordicidia

Question 20

In what exact and unambiguous language would Romans word their prayers to ensure that their desires and petitions were fully understood?

Answer 20

Formulae

Question 21

Before she was carried across the threshold, a Roman bride would smear the doorpost with the fat of what animal?

Answer 21

Wolf

Question 22

The Lares were worshipped at what festival, a sort of thanksgiving in which even slaves took part?

Answer 22

Compitalia

Question 23

What festival is called the Feast of the Crossroads?

Answer 23

Compitalia

Question 24

What festival was held near the end of May to secure divine favor for the growing and ripening crops?

Answer 24

Ambarvalia

Question 25

At what Roman festival would a Roman sacrifice a pig, sheep, and a bull before praying to Mars for good weather and good crops?

Answer 25

Ambarvalia

Question 26

At what Roman festival would they sacrifice a red dog to avoid the mildew (or rust) that attacked wheat?

Answer 26

Robigalia

Question 27

What festival, in order to appease the spirt of flocks and herds, later became accepted with the anniversary of Rome’s founding?

Answer 27

Parilia

Question 28

What Latin term was given to the wet stone kept near the Temple of Mars outside the Porta Capena was brought into the city to induce rain during droughts?

Answer 28

Lapis manalis

Question 29

Which high priest of Jupiter had a number of restrictive laws following including the inability to see an army in battle gear, to ride or touch a horse, she-goat or dog, to never have knots in his clothing, etc.

Answer 29

Flamen Dialis