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Quizzes > History > Ancient & Medieval History

Test Your Julius Caesar Knowledge Now!

Ready for a Julius Caesar trivia quiz? Explore Roman history and test your skills!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration of Julius Caesar bust with laurel wreath and roman column fragments and quiz title on teal background

This Julius Caesar quiz helps you review key facts from his life, Rome's politics, and famous lines in Shakespeare's play. Answer quick questions to check recall, fill gaps, and have fun while you practice. When you finish, you can try the full Caesar round or explore a Roman Empire round to see the bigger picture.

In which year was Julius Caesar born?
90 BC
95 BC
102 BC
100 BC
Julius Caesar was born on July 13, 100 BC, in Rome into the Julian clan. His birth date is well-attested by ancient sources and modern historians alike.
What is Julius Caesar's full name?
Marcus Julius Caesar
Lucius Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar
Gnaeus Julius Caesar
His full Latin name was Gaius Julius Caesar, indicating his praenomen (Gaius), nomen (Julius), and cognomen (Caesar). This naming convention was typical of Roman citizens of his stature.
Which river did Caesar famously cross in 49 BC, signaling the start of civil war?
Nile
Danube
Tiber
Rubicon
Caesar crossed the Rubicon River with his army in January of 49 BC, famously declaring "alea iacta est" and effectively starting the Roman civil war. The action violated Roman law and ended the uneasy peace with Pompey and the Senate.
What title was Julius Caesar given in 44 BC that alarmed the Senate?
Tribune
Dictator for life
Consul
King of Rome
In 44 BC, Caesar was appointed Dictator perpetuo, or dictator for life, a title that effectively concentrated supreme power in his hands and alarmed many senators. This unprecedented appointment eroded the Republic's norms.
Which month of the year is named after Julius Caesar?
July
June
March
August
The month of July was renamed in Caesar's honor (from Quintilis) after his death, commemorating his birth month. Augustus later renamed Sextilis to August in his own honor.
The 'Ides of March' refers to which date?
April 15
March 5
March 15
February 15
In the Roman calendar, the Ides fell on the 15th day of March, May, July, and October (and the 13th of other months). Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March, 44 BC.
Which political alliance did Caesar form with Pompey and Crassus?
Second Triumvirate
Senate
Consular Council
First Triumvirate
In 60 BC, Caesar joined Pompey and Crassus to form the First Triumvirate, an informal power-sharing arrangement that dominated Roman politics. It allowed them to pass legislation and secure key commands.
What is the title of Caesar's commentaries on his campaigns in Gaul?
Commentarii de Bello Gallico
On the Gallic War
Gallic Wars
Gallic Chronicle
"Commentarii de Bello Gallico" is Caesar's firsthand account of his campaigns in Gaul, covering events from 58 to 50 BC. The work is valued for its clear Latin prose and military insights.
On what date was Julius Caesar assassinated?
March 14, 44 BC
March 15, 45 BC
April 15, 44 BC
March 15, 44 BC
Caesar was murdered on March 15, 44 BC - known as the Ides of March - during a Senate meeting at the Theatre of Pompey. His death marked the collapse of the Roman Republic.
Who succeeded Julius Caesar as the first Roman Emperor?
Nero
Tiberius
Caligula
Augustus
After a period of civil war following Caesar's death, his adopted heir Octavian became Augustus in 27 BC, becoming Rome's first emperor. This ended the Republic and began the Principate.
Where was Julius Caesar assassinated?
Roman Senate
Roman Forum
Theatre of Pompey
Curia Julia
Caesar was attacked and stabbed to death in the Theatre of Pompey's curia, where the Senate convened on the Ides of March, 44 BC. This location was chosen to avoid assassination in the Senate House.
What was the name of Julius Caesar's last wife?
Servilia
Calpurnia
Pompeia
Cornelia
Calpurnia Pisonis was Caesar's third and final wife; she famously warned him in dreams of impending danger. They married in 59 BC and remained wed until his death.
Which religious office did Caesar hold in Rome?
Pontifex Maximus
Augur
Vestal
Flamen Dialis
In 63 BC, Caesar was elected Pontifex Maximus, the chief priest of the Roman state religion, a prestigious position that he held until his death. It further bolstered his political influence.
At which battle did Caesar defeat Pompey in 48 BC?
Battle of Zama
Battle of Pharsalus
Battle of Actium
Battle of Alesia
The Battle of Pharsalus (48 BC) in Greece saw Caesar's forces decisively defeat Pompey's larger army, cementing Caesar's control of Rome. Pompey fled to Egypt afterward.
In which year did the Gallic Wars begin?
58 BC
60 BC
55 BC
50 BC
Caesar commenced his campaign in Gaul in 58 BC, campaigning over the next eight years to bring the region under Roman control. His reports informed Rome of his successes.
Which calendar did Caesar introduce to replace the Roman calendar?
Gregorian
Julian
Lunar
Solar
In 46 BC, Caesar instituted the Julian calendar to correct the drift in the old Roman lunar calendar, aligning it with the solar year of 365ΒΌ days. This reform lasted until the Gregorian adjustment in 1582.
What was the name of Julius Caesar's only legitimate child?
Cleopatra
Julia
Octavia
Antonia
Julia was Caesar's only legitimate child, born to his second wife, Pompeia, in 76 BC. Her marriage to Pompey was politically significant for the First Triumvirate.
As a young man, Caesar served as a quaestor in which Roman province?
Britannia
Sicilia
Gaul
Asia
In 69 BC, Caesar served as quaestor in Sicilia (Sicily), where he managed grain supplies and finances for the province, gaining valuable administrative experience.
Which famous playwright wrote a tragedy about Julius Caesar?
Sophocles
Shakespeare
Seneca
Euripides
William Shakespeare penned the tragedy "Julius Caesar" around 1599, dramatizing the events leading to Caesar's assassination and its aftermath. It remains a cornerstone of English literature.
Who was Caesar's ally and co-consul in 44 BC?
Mark Antony
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus
Marcus Licinius Crassus
Marcus Junius Brutus
In 44 BC, Julius Caesar served his final consulship alongside Mark Antony, who was a staunch ally and key figure in the events following Caesar's death.
How many days did Caesar take to build a bridge across the Rhine?
5
10
20
15
In 55 BC, Caesar famously constructed a wooden bridge across the Rhine in just ten days to demonstrate Rome's engineering prowess and intimidate the Germanic tribes. This feat is detailed in his own commentaries.
What policy characterized Caesar's treatment of defeated Roman enemies?
Confiscation
Clemency
Exile
Retribution
After victories, Caesar often showed clemency to defeated Roman opponents, pardoning many senators and soldiers to reunify Rome under his leadership. This approach contrasted with harsher traditional punishments.
What Latin phrase did Caesar famously use after a swift victory at Zela?
Alea iacta est
Veni, vidi, vici
Et tu, Brute
Carpe diem
After defeating Pharnaces II at the Battle of Zela in 47 BC, Caesar sent the succinct report "Veni, vidi, vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered) to Rome. The phrase underscores his swift triumph.
Before the Gallic Wars, Caesar served as governor of which Roman province?
Gallia Cisalpina
Hispania Ulterior
Africa
Asia
From 61 to 60 BC, Caesar governed Hispania Ulterior as propraetor, consolidating power and wealth before returning to Rome to form the First Triumvirate.
Which group of senators led the conspiracy to assassinate Caesar?
Equestrians
Populares
Optimates
Patricians
The assassination was mainly orchestrated by members of the optimates faction, conservative senators who feared Caesar's growing power and loss of their traditional privileges.
Which Gallic tribe did Caesar fight during the Helvetii migration?
Sequani
Helvetii
Aedui
Belgae
In 58 BC, Caesar confronted the migrating Helvetii tribe in what is now Switzerland, defeating them at the Battle of Bibracte and preventing their settlement in Roman territory.
From which goddess did Caesar trace his ancestry according to Roman myth?
Minerva
Juno
Diana
Venus
The Julian family claimed descent from Venus through Aeneas, the legendary Trojan ancestor of Romans, linking Caesar indirectly to the goddess of love.
At which siege did Caesar defeat the Gauls led by Vercingetorix?
Siege of Alesia
Siege of Massilia
Siege of Gergovia
Siege of Uxellodunum
The decisive Siege of Alesia in 52 BC saw Caesar trap Vercingetorix and his forces, leading to the Gauls' surrender and Rome's domination of Gaul.
What was the name of the son Caesar had with Cleopatra?
Alexandria
Caesarion
Antyllus
Ptolemy
Caesarion, officially Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar, was born in 47 BC and acknowledged by Cleopatra as Caesar's son. He was the last Pharaoh of Egypt.
Which law granted Caesar's command in Gaul for five years?
Lex Julia
Lex Vatinia
Lex Maria
Lex Papiria
The Lex Vatinia, passed in 59 BC, assigned Caesar proconsular command over Cisalpine Gaul and Illyricum for five years, enabling his Gallic campaigns.
What is the Latin title of Caesar's work on the African War?
Bellum Africum
Bellum Civile
Bellum Hispaniense
Bellum Alexandrinum
The "Bellum Africum" is an anonymous continuation of Caesar's own commentaries, detailing the African campaigns of 47 - 46 BC. It complements his Gallic and Civil War works.
What was the first denomination of Roman coin to bear a living person's portrait during Caesar's lifetime?
Sestertius
Aureus
As
Denarius
Caesar issued a denarius featuring his own portrait in 44 BC - the first time a living Roman's image appeared on official coinage, signaling his unprecedented authority.
What was the Lex Julia de Maritandis Ordinibus legislation primarily concerned with?
Tax reforms
Divorce procedures
Marriage within social classes
Adultery penalties
The Lex Julia de Maritandis Ordinibus (18 BC) regulated marriage between different social orders, aiming to strengthen traditional Roman morality and stabilize family structures. It was enacted under Augustus, building on Caesar's earlier marital laws.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Key Events of Caesar's Life -

    Trace the major milestones from Caesar's early career in Rome to his role as dictator and ultimate demise.

  2. Analyze Military Campaigns and Strategies -

    Examine Caesar's tactics in the Gallic Wars and other key battles to appreciate his military genius.

  3. Interpret Shakespeare's Tragedy -

    Identify central themes, characters, and dramatic moments in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" and their historical underpinnings.

  4. Differentiate History from Drama -

    Compare the real-life events of Caesar's reign with their portrayal in literature and understand why dramatization varies.

  5. Evaluate Caesar's Lasting Impact -

    Assess how Caesar's reforms and leadership shaped the Roman Empire and influenced subsequent political thought.

  6. Apply Roman Political Vocabulary -

    Use key terms and concepts related to Roman governance and society to deepen your understanding of the era.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Gallic Wars & "Veni, Vidi, Vici" -

    Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico (58 - 50 BC) chronicles his campaigns in Gaul and illustrates his tactical brilliance. The famous phrase "Veni, Vidi, Vici" from the 47 BC Zela victory serves as a mnemonic - think "Veni=land, Vidi=survey, Vici=defeat." Cambridge University Classics recommends reviewing his engineering feats at Alesia, which revolutionized Roman siegecraft.

  2. Julian Calendar Reform -

    In 46 BC, Caesar introduced the Julian calendar to align the Roman year with the solar cycle, setting 365 days plus a leap year every four years. A simple formula is "365 + (year mod 4 == 0 ? 1 : 0)" to remember leap years under Julius's system. Research from the Pontifical Gregorian University outlines how this reform is the ancestor of the modern Gregorian calendar.

  3. The Ides of March & Political Conspiracy -

    On March 15, 44 BC, a group of senators led by Brutus and Cassius assassinated Caesar in the Theatre of Pompey. Shakespeare's adoption of this date as "Beware the Ides of March" is both a literal warning and a mnemonic for 44 BC. The Oxford Classical Texts highlight this event as the Republic's turning point toward autocracy.

  4. Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" & Key Scenes -

    Shakespeare's tragedy (1599) adapts Caesar's final years and emphasizes rhetorical power in speeches like Mark Antony's "Friends, Romans, countrymen" soliloquy in Act III, Scene 2. Reciting Antony's opening phrase helps recall his persuasive rhetoric and themes of loyalty versus betrayal. The Arden Shakespeare notes these scenes as core material for literary analysis in your julius caesar quiz.

  5. Caesar's Legacy & the Republic-to-Empire Shift -

    After Caesar's death, Octavian (Augustus) emerged in 27 BC, marking the start of the Roman Empire and the end of the Republic. Use the mnemonic "C-A-R-E" (Caesar dies, Augustus rises, Rome evolves) to memorize this transition. Sources from the Journal of Roman Studies underscore how Caesar's dictatorship laid foundations for imperial rule.

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