The Second Triumvirate is the historical name given to the ancient Roman alliance of Octavian, Marc Antony, and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, established in 43 BCE. Unlike the First Triumvirate, it was an official, if extraconstitutional, organization that was legally established and given enormous power by the senate. After Lepidus was deposed and Antony defeated, Octavian became the first emperor of Rome in 27 BCE. Octavian is better known by what name? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Gibson Girl was an iconic representation of the feminine ideal in the US at the turn of the 20th century, as portrayed by illustrator Charles Dana Gibson. The Gibson Girl was tall and slender, with an hourglass figure and tightly corseted wasp waist. Why was an RAAF survival radio transmitter carried by World War II aircraft on over-water operations nicknamed the “Gibson Girl”? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Dick Tracy is a cartoon that was created in 1931 by Chester Gould, who continued to produce it until 1977. The strip reflects the dark mood of film noir and is filled with treachery. Its title character is a hard-hitting, fast-shooting, and supremely intelligent police detective who matches wits with a variety of colorful villains. Who is Tracy’s infamous large-headed enemy? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Also known as the “The Main Street of America,” Route 66 was established in 1926 and ran from Chicago, Illinois, in a south-westerly direction to Los Angeles, California, for a total of 2,448 miles (3,939 km). It was a major path of the migrants who went west, especially during the 1930s, and it supported the economies of the communities through which it passed. More direct routes and increasingly sophisticated engineering techniques led to its being decommissioned in what year? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Great Toronto Fire of 1904 began in a factory in downtown Toronto, the capital city of Ontario, Canada, and spread to more than 100 other buildings before it was extinguished. For nine hours, Toronto’s firefighters—as well as firefighters from Hamilton, Ontario, and Buffalo, New York, that had come to help—braved strong winds and sub-zero temperatures as they fought to bring the blaze under control. What was the total estimated value of the property damaged by the fire? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Thermopylae is a narrow coastal passage between Locris and Thessaly in Greece that has been the site of several battles. There in 480 BCE, Leonidas with his Spartans and their allies lost a heroic battle to the Persians under Xerxes. At the pass in 279 BCE, the Greeks held back the Gauls under Brennus, who ultimately broke through, and, in 191 BCE, Antiochus III of Syria was defeated there by the Romans. What does “Thermopylae” mean in Greek? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Robben Island is a mile-wide island off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. Stone-age people lived there thousands of years ago when sea levels were lower and the area was easily accessible. Starting in the late 17th century, the island was used to isolate lepers and, later, political prisoners such as Nelson Mandela, who was held there from 1964 to 1982. In the 1600s, a ship laden with millions of dollars worth of gold sank off the island’s coast. Why has no one recovered the treasure? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Punjabi is an Indo-European language spoken in the Punjab regions of Pakistan and India, where there are 80 and 30 million speakers, respectively. Unlike other Indo-European languages, it is tonal, meaning Punjabi words have high or low tones permanently associated with them. Punjabi is the preferred language of the Sikhs, and it is the usual language of Bhangra music, popular in South Asia and abroad. What are the main dialects of Punjabi? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Anna Karenina is a novel by Leo Tolstoy about the tragedy of a woman’s faith in romantic love, first published as a book in 1877. Tolstoy’s style, praised by Nabokov and Dostoevsky, is considered by many critics to represent a bridge between the realist and modernist novels. Its seventh section is, in particular, one of the earliest examples of stream-of-consciousness literature. Many critics believe that which character reflects Tolstoy’s own beliefs and struggles? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Jeopardy! is a well-known television game show which first ran on NBC in 1964. Its most successful incarnation is the current Alex Trebek-hosted syndicated version, which has aired continuously since September 10, 1984. The Jeopardy! concept of presenting clues in the form of answers was created by Merv Griffin, who also created Wheel of Fortune. Why is the show called Jeopardy!? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary