50 Greek History Quiz Questions and Answers

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Round 1: Easy Greek History Trivia Questions

1. The Odyssey tells the story of which Ancient Greek hero?
2. Which Ancient Greek city state was the birthplace of democracy?
3. Which Ancient Greek king overthrew the Persian empire and expanded the Greek empire into India?
4. Greece began the Trojan War in order to bring home which princess?
5. Which Ancient Greek philosopher was known for asking ‘why’?
6. Which Saint brought Christianity to Greece in AD 49?
7. From 1801 to 1812, most of the Parthenon marbles were removed from Greece by British statesman Lord Elgin. At what museum can you visit them today?
8. Which empire did Greece gain independence from in 1822?
9. Which was the first country to invade Greece during WWII?
10. What currency was used in Greece from 1833 until the adoption of the euro in 2002?

Round 1: Easy Greek History Trivia Questions and Answers

1. The Odyssey tells the story of which Ancient Greek hero? Odyssius
2. Which Ancient Greek city state was the birthplace of democracy? Athens
3. Which Ancient Greek king overthrew the Persian empire and expanded the Greek empire into India? Alexander the Great
4. Greece began the Trojan War in order to bring home which princess? Helen of Troy
5. Which Ancient Greek philosopher was known for asking ‘why’? Socrates
6. Which Saint brought Christianity to Greece in AD 49? Saint Paul
7. From 1801 to 1812, most of the Parthenon marbles were removed from Greece by British statesman Lord Elgin. At what museum can you visit them today? The British Museum
8. Which empire did Greece gain independence from in 1822? The Ottoman Empire
9. Which was the first country to invade Greece during WWII? Italy
10. What currency was used in Greece from 1833 until the adoption of the euro in 2002? The Drachma

Round 2: Greek History Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Which period of Greek history began in 479 BCE and ended in 323 BCE?
   1. The Archaic Age
   2. The Classical Age
   3. The Hellenic Age
   4. The Byzantine Age
2. Which of the following was not an event at the Ancient Olympics?
   1. Horse riding
   2. Hurdles
   3. Boxing
   4. Long jump
3. What was the original use of the Parthenon?
   1. A temple
   2. A fortress
   3. A forum
   4. A court
4. Socrates was sentenced to death in 399 BCE, but what crime did he supposedly commit?
   1. Inciting treason
   2. Disobeying the court of Athens
   3. Disrespecting the goddess Athena
   4. Corrupting the youth
5. Which of these modern-day necessities was invented in ancient Greece?
   1. The calendar
   2. The washing machine
   3. The alarm clock
   4. The postal service
6. The modern Marathon is inspired by the story of Philippides, who reportedly ran 40 kilometres from Marathon to which city?
   1. Athens
   2. Sparta
   3. Corinth
   4. Heraklion 
7. Which of the following countries did not fight alongside Greece in the Greek War of Independence?
   1. France
   2. Russia
   3. United Kingdom
   4. United States 
8. In 1963, Giorgos Seferis became the first Greek to win a Nobel Prize. What category did he win it in?
   1. Physics
   2. Medicine 
   3. Literature
   4. Peace
9. The Greek monarchy was abolished in 1973. Who was the last ruling king of Greece?
   1. Paul I
   2. George II
   3. Constantine I
   4. Constantine II
10. Greece won Eurovision for the first time in 2005. What was the title of Helena Paparizou’s winning song?
    1. My Number One
    2. Mambo
    3. Wild Dances
    4. Everything

Round 2: Greek History Multiple-Choice Questions and Answers

1. Which period of Greek history began in 479 BCE and ended in 323 BCE? B. The Classical Age
2. Which of the following was not an event at the Ancient Olympics? B. Hurdles
3. What was the original use of the Parthenon? A. A temple
4. Socrates was sentenced to death in 399 BCE, but what crime did he supposedly commit? D. Corrupting the youth
5. Which of these modern-day necessities was invented in ancient Greece? C. The alarm clock
6. The modern Marathon is inspired by the story of Philippides, who reportedly ran 40 kilometres from Marathon to which city? A. Athens 
7. Which of the following countries did not fight alongside Greece in the Greek War of Independence? D. United States
8. In 1963, Giorgos Seferis became the first Greek to win a Nobel Prize. What category did he win it in? C. Literature
9. The Greek monarchy was abolished in 1973. Who was the last ruling king of Greece? D. Constantine II
10. Greece won Eurovision for the first time in 2005. What was the title of Helena Paparizou’s winning song? A. My Number One

Round 3: Greek History Quiz – True or False

1. Ancient Greece was made up of over 1000 city states, not all of which are in modern-day Greece.
2. Though they look white in museums today, Ancient Greek statues were actually painted with bright colours.
3. Though only 1 of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World was built in modern-day Greece, five of them were built by the Ancient Greeks.
4. The unibrow was so fashionable in ancient Greece that ladies used to paint on hairs to fill the gap between their brows.
5. There is a general consensus among historians that the Trojan War is a complete fiction with no actual historical basis.
6. First distributed in the 3rd Century, The Septuagint is the oldest translation of the bible into Greek.
7. The first modern Olympics were hosted in Athens in 1986.
8. Since the start of the modern Olympics, almost half of Greece’s Olympic medals have been won in wrestling.
9. Greece remained neutral throughout WWI.
10. After begin ousted in 1973, Greek dictator Georgios Papadopoulos fled to Brazil where he lived out the rest of his days.

Round 3: Greek History Quiz Answers – True or False

1. Ancient Greece was made up of over 1000 city states, not all of which are in modern-day Greece. True
2. Though they look white in museums today, Ancient Greek statues were actually painted with bright colours. True
3. Though only 1 of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World was built in modern-day Greece, five of them were built by the Ancient Greeks. False
4. The unibrow was so fashionable in ancient Greece that ladies used to paint on hairs to fill the gap between their brows. True
5. There is a general consensus among historians that the Trojan War is a complete fiction with no actual historical basis. False, most historians believe that the Trojan war was at least based on a real conflict.
6. First distributed in the 3rd Century, The Septuagint is the oldest translation of the bible into Greek. False, it’s the oldest translation of the Torah
7. The first modern Olympics were hosted in Athens in 1986. True
8. Since the start of the modern Olympics, almost half of Greece’s Olympic medals have been won in wrestling. False
9. Greece remained neutral throughout WWI. False, they joined the allies in 1917
10. After begin ousted in 1973, Greek dictator Georgios Papadopoulos fled to Brazil where he lived out the rest of his days. False, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in Greece

Round 4: Medium Greek History Trivia Questions

1. The ‘Golden Age of Athens’ began during the reign of which statesman?
2. The Ptolemaic Kingdom was an Ancient Greek state but it was not in modern Greece. Which country would you travel to if you wanted to visit the land of the Ptolemys today?
3. Which Greek thinker founded ‘The Academy’ in 387 BCE?
4. Ancient Greek doctors believed diseases were caused by an imbalance of blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile. What were these important substances collectively known as?
5. Which Greek kingdom did Alexander the Great rule?
6. What denomination of Christianity was imposed on Greece during the Frankokratia period?
7. Which Greek island was captured by the German Army through ‘Operation Mercury’ in 1941?
8. What kind of natural disaster resulted in over 100 deaths and a further 1600 injuries in Athens in 1999?
9. Which country had to change its name in 2018 to settle a decades long dispute with Greece?
10. Who was elected as Greece’s first female president in January 2020?

Round 4: Medium Greek History Trivia Questions and Answers

1. The ‘Golden Age of Athens’ began during the reign of which statesman? Pericles
2. The Ptolemaic Kingdom was an Ancient Greek state but it was not in modern Greece. Which country would you travel to if you wanted to visit the land of the Ptolemys today? Egypt
3. Which Greek thinker founded ‘The Academy’ in 387 BCE? Plato
4. Ancient Greek doctors believed diseases were caused by an imbalance of blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile. What were these important substances collectively known as? The Four Humours
5. Which Greek kingdom did Alexander the Great rule? Macedonia
6. What denomination of Christianity was imposed on Greece during the Frankokratia period? Catholicism
7. Which Greek island was captured by the German Army through ‘Operation Mercury’ in 1941? Crete
8. What kind of natural disaster resulted in over 100 deaths and a further 1600 injuries in Athens in 1999? An earthquake (1999 Athens Earthquake)
9. Which country had to change its name in 2018 to settle a decades long dispute with Greece? North Macedonia
10. Who was elected as Greece’s first female president in January 2020? Katerina Sakellaropoulou

Round 5: Hard Greek History Trivia Questions

1. In the timeline of Ancient Greek history, which phase comes after the Classical Age?
2. Ankrotiri was one of the first great cities in Greece, but it was destroyed by the eruption of which volcano?
3. Which Ancient Greek city did Cicero describe as ‘the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all’?
4. The Ancient Greeks invented the word ‘idiot’ but it didn’t mean stupid. Instead, it referred to someone who didn’t do what?
5. Which Roman Emperor ended the ancient Olympic Games in 393?
6. Which region of Greece was the first to declare war during the Greek War of Independence?
7. Who was the first president of independent Greece?
8. Who was the first king of independent Greece?
9. Greece lost the city of Smyrna, its last territory in Anatolia, to Turkey in 1920. What is that city known as today?
10. What was the last time Greece hosted the Olympic Games?

Round 5: Hard Greek History Trivia Questions and Answers

1. In the timeline of Ancient Greek history, which phase comes after the Classical Age? The Hellenistic Age
2. Ankrotiri was one of the first great cities in Greece, but it was destroyed by the eruption of which volcano? Thera
3. Which Ancient Greek city did Cicero describe as ‘the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all’? Syracuse
4. The Ancient Greeks invented the word ‘idiot’ but it didn’t mean stupid. Instead, it referred to someone who didn’t do what? Vote
5. Which Roman Emperor ended the ancient Olympic Games in 393? Emperor Theodosius
6. Which region of Greece was the first to declare war during the Greek War of Independence? Mani
7. Who was the first president of independent Greece? Alexandros Mavrokordotos
8. Who was the first king of independent Greece? Prince Otto of Bavaria
9. Greece lost the city of Smyrna, its last territory in Anatolia, to Turkey in 1920. What is that city known as today? Izmir
10. What was the last time Greece hosted the Olympic Games? 2004

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