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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do Pollio and Livy argue about?

2. What excuse does Claudius give to his mother for selling his property?

3. Why does Claudius become engaged to Urgulanilla?

4. What attitude does Livia take towards Postumus?

5. Why does Claudius become his mother's guardian?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Claudius find out that his letters to Germanicus are being intercepted?

2. Describe the book that Livia writes

3. What does the nobleman predict will happen based on Claudius catching the wolf cub?

4. What praise does Claudius give to his grandmother, Livia?

5. Why does Livia make sure that Claudius is gone while Germanicus is in Rome?

6. Why is Rome so vulnerable to attack by the German forces after Varus dies?

7. Why is it better for Claudius that Livia thinks he is an idiot?

8. What does Pollio imply about the death of Claudius's grandfather?

9. Why does Claudius wait until Germanicus returns to Rome to tell him that Postumus was innocent?

10. Why does Livia target Julilla and her unborn child?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that addresses the differences (or similarities) between marriage and divorce in Ancient Rome and in our modern world.

Essay Topic 2

Historical fiction is a blend of fact and imagination. Write a paper pointing out when Robert Graves is basing his story on fact and when he is allowing himself to imagine what might have happened.

Essay Topic 3

What was military life like back in Ancient Rome. Research and write a paper about the typical life of a Roman soldier.

(see the answer keys)

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