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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why do the Spartans decide to send only three hundred soldiers to Thermopylae?
(a) The Spartan senate refuses to send troops to Thermopylae, and the three hundred are the only volunteers.
(b) The three hundred is only the advance force meant to hold off the Persians long enough for the main force to arrive.
(c) The Spartans do not feel that the Persians are a real threat to them, so three hundred should more than suffice.
(d) A larger force would not have room to fight, and would cause supply problems.

2. Why is Xerxes having trouble sleeping?
(a) He cannot sleep after the slaughter of battle.
(b) He has dysentery.
(c) He is being plagued by nightmares and guilt over the desecration of Leonidas' body.
(d) He has contracted a terrible illness from one of the injured soldiers.

3. When king Leonidas gives his speech on the night of the arrival of the Persian force, to whom is he speaking?
(a) He is speaking to the entire combined forces.
(b) He is speaking to the allied officers.
(c) He is speaking to the Spartan officers.
(d) He is speaking to all of the allied officers and the Spartan officers.

4. What happens to the raiding party that saves the life of Xerxes?
(a) One of the members of the raiding party trips and makes enough noise in his fall to alert the Persians.
(b) One of Xerxes' officers stumbles upon the raiding party as they are entering the tent.
(c) They go to the wrong tent at first, and have to go back.
(d) Some exotic birds escape their cages and confuse the Spartans.

5. What can Xeones see toward the middle gate?
(a) He sees a large fox.
(b) He sees the bath houses.
(c) He sees the Persians.
(d) He sees the sheer cliffs of the pass.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who throws an axe at Xeones and cuts Alexandros' wrist during the tent raid?

2. What does the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi tell the Athenians to do about the Persian invasion?

3. According to Leonidas, how many men could the Persians mass behind the battle wall?

4. What does the Oracle tell the Spartans?

5. What punishment is actually dealt out to Rooster?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Xerxes trust Xeones?

2. Describe what the Persians do to the body of the Spartan king, Leonidas.

3. Describe the fight between Medes and Greeks.

4. What causes Xerxes to decide to stay in Greece and complete his campaign?

5. Describe the plan to assault Xerxes in his own tent.

6. What main advantage do the Spartans have over the Persians?

7. How is the 300 man force composed?

8. Describe the first day of battle.

9. What disturbs Xerxes, the Persian king?

10. Describe the Medes who first entered battle with the Greeks.

(see the answer keys)

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