ROUND 4: History - Terms of Ancient Warfare

All questions refer to words used either in ancient Greece or in
ancient Rome.  In some cases the words have acquired in English
usage a somewhat different spelling or pronunciation from their ancient form.

1. What sort of Roman weapon was called an "onager" (ON-a-jer), 
   or jackass?

A. a catapult (because it recoiled with a kick)


2. The Greeks had a weapon called a "gastraphetes" 
   (GAS-tra-FEE-teez), and yes, that prefix does mean "stomach".
   What was it?

A. a crossbow
   (because you braced it against your stomach to pull the bow)


3. What was the Latin word for a sword, specifically the short
   sword used for most of Roman history?

A. gladius (GLAD-ee-uss)


4. What sort of weapon did the Romans call a "pilum" (PEEL-um)?

A. javelin (accept "spear")


5. An important class of Greek soldiers are known in English as
   "hoplites" (HOP-lights), from the "hoplon" that they carried.
   Although its usage in actual ancient Greek was apparently
   somewhat different, what would we mean by "hoplon" today?

A. shield


6. In Roman warfare, what was a "scutum" (SCOOT-um)?

A. shield (yes, again)
	

7. For centuries the most important class of Greek battleship was
   the trireme (TRY-ream).  The prefix "tri-" indicates that there
   were three... what?

A. banks of oars/rowers (on each side)


8. When a Roman ship went up against an enemy ship, they might use
   the "corvus", which means crow.  What was that?

A. a spiked gangplank
   (to attach the ships so soldiers could force their way on board
    the enemy ship; accept anything giving the general idea)


9. In Roman warfare, what was a "testudo"?

A. a group of (foot) soldiers in close formation [so that there
   was almost no space between their shields (or scuta)]


10. And what was the similar close formation of Greek warfare,
    where one man would advance between the spears of the men  
    behind him so that an enemy would face a mass of spear points
    before coming within sword range?

A. phalanx