CLST 2102 Final Questions and
Answers A+ Graded (2025)
Know .the .basics .of .Stoicism. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Stoicism .(founder .was
.Zeno) .adapted .for .Romans .to .emphasize .reason .and .excellence .of .character;
.also .recognizes .the .importance .of .politics .in .this .world .established .by .Reason.
.The .greatest .good .is .to .live .in .harmony .with .the .divine .Logos. .Everything .is
.set .in .order .and .planned .by .Logos. .Divine .Fire .transformed .into .substances
.that .gave .universe .form .and .order. .Suicide .permitted .if .one .is .prevented .from
.living .according .to .Reason.
Know .the .basics .of .Neoplatonism. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Neoplatonism .founded
.by .Plotinus .and .influenced .by .mystery .cults. .It .reflects .general .move .towards
.one .superior .universal .power .vs. .various .local .powers; .everything .emanates
.from .the .One .(perfect .unity). .Human .souls .include .Mind, .Soul, .and .Matter: .goal
.is .inward .unity .of .these .aspects .and .personal .unity .with .the .One. .Through
.intellect .and .effort .a .person .can .enjoy .while .alive .a .temporary, .ecstatic .union
.with .the .One, .but .it .is .rare .(permanent .union .after .death). .No .savior, .divine
.grace, .or .rituals .required: .individual .spiritually .independent .and .self .sufficient
To .what .does .the .term .taurobolium .refer? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Refers .to .the
.sacrifice .of .a .bull .where .the .blood .showers .down .on .the .initiate
Outside .of .new .life .and .promised .blessings, .what .were .common .features .of
.mystery .cults? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-A .god .who's .overcome .death .,
.Reenactment .or .retelling .of .cult's .central .myth ., .Sacred .food .or .drink .in
.remembrance .of .an .important .event .in .central .myth .(often .proceeded .by .a .fast)
What .was .the .basic .central .story .of .the .resurrection .cults? .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-Central .resurrection .myth .often .involves .a .strong .goddess .[force .of
.life .and .regeneration] .and .a .more .vulnerable .figure, .usually .a .lover/husband,
.who .serves .as .a .resurrection .figure. .Through .the .cult's .central .myth
.worshippers .recall .the .death .of .the .resurrection .figure, .mourn .him, .then .share
.in .his .resurrection
Know .the .basics .of .the .cult .of .Mithra. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Only .open .to .men
.(popular .with .soldiers .and .merchants); .God .of .light, .spirit .of .divine .fire .and .fire
.of .the .sun; .No .synoptic .myth .for .cult .just .scenes: .born .in .winter .with
, .shepherds .looking .on; .hunts .and .kills .a .divine .bull .in .a .cave .(tauroctony); .has
.dinner .with .the .sun .on .the .bull's .hide; .cult .related .to .Indo .Iranian .Zoroastrian
.dualistic .beliefs .of .a .battle .between .light, .truth, .stability .[Ahura .Mazda] .and
.darkness, .lies, .and .chaos .[Ahriman].
What .is .the .basic .idea .behind .dualism? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Dualism .is .a
.theology .based .on .the .belief .in .two .gods: .a .good .god .of .light .and .immaterial
.things, .and .an .evil .god .of .darkness .and .material .things.
With .which .resurrection .god .was .Jesus .most .closely .associated? .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-Dionysus
What .is .the .difference .between .henotheism .and .monotheism? .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-Monotheism .is .one .God .while .henotheism .is .one .superior .god, .To
.henotheist: .other .gods .manifestations .of .the .superior .being, .To .monotheist:
.other .gods .at .best .dangerous .distractions .form .the .true .God, .at .worst
.manifestations .of .a .demonic .world .opposed .to .the .true .God.
How .did .Christians .interpret .the .gods .of .polytheism? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-
Polytheism: .world .is .god, .Christians .are .looking .for .a .different .world
Why .did .Christianity .attract .legal .action .by .the .state? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-
They .refused .to .worship .state .gods .and, .therefore, .were .considered .atheists
What .were .the .rumors .about .Christian .services? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-They
.had ."love .feasts" .which .included .cannibalism .and .incest
What .were .the .Christians .rumored .to .worship? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Said .to
.worship .a .condemned .criminal .and .the .head .of .an .ass
What .did .Pliny .find .out .about .their .ceremonies? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER--Meet .on
.a .fixed .day .before .dawn .and .sing .a .hymn .to .Christ .as .to .a .god
-bind .to .not .commit .fraud, .theft, .or .adultery..not .to .lie..nor .refuse .trust .if
.someone .gives .to .u.
-then .they .eat..
What .was .Trajan's .policy .towards .the .Christians? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Don't
.seek .them .out; .if .denounced .and .proven .guilty, .then .they .will .be .punished
According .to .Pliny, .how .could .a .person .prove .they .were .not .a .Christian? .-
.CORRECT .ANSWER-Those .who .denied .that .they .were .or .had .been .Christians,
.when .they .invoked .the .gods .in .words .dictated .by .me, .offered .prayer .with
.incense .and .wine .to .your .image, .which .I .had .ordered .to .be .brought .for .this
.purpose .together .with .statues .of .the .gods, .and .moreover .cursed .Christ, .none
.of .which .those .who .are .really .Christians, .it .is .said, .can .be .forced .to .do...
.denounce .Christ
Who .conducted .the .first .empire .wide .persecution .of .Christians? .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-Decius...-Nero .(64) .- .Galerius .(311) .primarily .local
Answers A+ Graded (2025)
Know .the .basics .of .Stoicism. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Stoicism .(founder .was
.Zeno) .adapted .for .Romans .to .emphasize .reason .and .excellence .of .character;
.also .recognizes .the .importance .of .politics .in .this .world .established .by .Reason.
.The .greatest .good .is .to .live .in .harmony .with .the .divine .Logos. .Everything .is
.set .in .order .and .planned .by .Logos. .Divine .Fire .transformed .into .substances
.that .gave .universe .form .and .order. .Suicide .permitted .if .one .is .prevented .from
.living .according .to .Reason.
Know .the .basics .of .Neoplatonism. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Neoplatonism .founded
.by .Plotinus .and .influenced .by .mystery .cults. .It .reflects .general .move .towards
.one .superior .universal .power .vs. .various .local .powers; .everything .emanates
.from .the .One .(perfect .unity). .Human .souls .include .Mind, .Soul, .and .Matter: .goal
.is .inward .unity .of .these .aspects .and .personal .unity .with .the .One. .Through
.intellect .and .effort .a .person .can .enjoy .while .alive .a .temporary, .ecstatic .union
.with .the .One, .but .it .is .rare .(permanent .union .after .death). .No .savior, .divine
.grace, .or .rituals .required: .individual .spiritually .independent .and .self .sufficient
To .what .does .the .term .taurobolium .refer? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Refers .to .the
.sacrifice .of .a .bull .where .the .blood .showers .down .on .the .initiate
Outside .of .new .life .and .promised .blessings, .what .were .common .features .of
.mystery .cults? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-A .god .who's .overcome .death .,
.Reenactment .or .retelling .of .cult's .central .myth ., .Sacred .food .or .drink .in
.remembrance .of .an .important .event .in .central .myth .(often .proceeded .by .a .fast)
What .was .the .basic .central .story .of .the .resurrection .cults? .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-Central .resurrection .myth .often .involves .a .strong .goddess .[force .of
.life .and .regeneration] .and .a .more .vulnerable .figure, .usually .a .lover/husband,
.who .serves .as .a .resurrection .figure. .Through .the .cult's .central .myth
.worshippers .recall .the .death .of .the .resurrection .figure, .mourn .him, .then .share
.in .his .resurrection
Know .the .basics .of .the .cult .of .Mithra. .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Only .open .to .men
.(popular .with .soldiers .and .merchants); .God .of .light, .spirit .of .divine .fire .and .fire
.of .the .sun; .No .synoptic .myth .for .cult .just .scenes: .born .in .winter .with
, .shepherds .looking .on; .hunts .and .kills .a .divine .bull .in .a .cave .(tauroctony); .has
.dinner .with .the .sun .on .the .bull's .hide; .cult .related .to .Indo .Iranian .Zoroastrian
.dualistic .beliefs .of .a .battle .between .light, .truth, .stability .[Ahura .Mazda] .and
.darkness, .lies, .and .chaos .[Ahriman].
What .is .the .basic .idea .behind .dualism? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Dualism .is .a
.theology .based .on .the .belief .in .two .gods: .a .good .god .of .light .and .immaterial
.things, .and .an .evil .god .of .darkness .and .material .things.
With .which .resurrection .god .was .Jesus .most .closely .associated? .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-Dionysus
What .is .the .difference .between .henotheism .and .monotheism? .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-Monotheism .is .one .God .while .henotheism .is .one .superior .god, .To
.henotheist: .other .gods .manifestations .of .the .superior .being, .To .monotheist:
.other .gods .at .best .dangerous .distractions .form .the .true .God, .at .worst
.manifestations .of .a .demonic .world .opposed .to .the .true .God.
How .did .Christians .interpret .the .gods .of .polytheism? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-
Polytheism: .world .is .god, .Christians .are .looking .for .a .different .world
Why .did .Christianity .attract .legal .action .by .the .state? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-
They .refused .to .worship .state .gods .and, .therefore, .were .considered .atheists
What .were .the .rumors .about .Christian .services? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-They
.had ."love .feasts" .which .included .cannibalism .and .incest
What .were .the .Christians .rumored .to .worship? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Said .to
.worship .a .condemned .criminal .and .the .head .of .an .ass
What .did .Pliny .find .out .about .their .ceremonies? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER--Meet .on
.a .fixed .day .before .dawn .and .sing .a .hymn .to .Christ .as .to .a .god
-bind .to .not .commit .fraud, .theft, .or .adultery..not .to .lie..nor .refuse .trust .if
.someone .gives .to .u.
-then .they .eat..
What .was .Trajan's .policy .towards .the .Christians? .- .CORRECT .ANSWER-Don't
.seek .them .out; .if .denounced .and .proven .guilty, .then .they .will .be .punished
According .to .Pliny, .how .could .a .person .prove .they .were .not .a .Christian? .-
.CORRECT .ANSWER-Those .who .denied .that .they .were .or .had .been .Christians,
.when .they .invoked .the .gods .in .words .dictated .by .me, .offered .prayer .with
.incense .and .wine .to .your .image, .which .I .had .ordered .to .be .brought .for .this
.purpose .together .with .statues .of .the .gods, .and .moreover .cursed .Christ, .none
.of .which .those .who .are .really .Christians, .it .is .said, .can .be .forced .to .do...
.denounce .Christ
Who .conducted .the .first .empire .wide .persecution .of .Christians? .- .CORRECT
.ANSWER-Decius...-Nero .(64) .- .Galerius .(311) .primarily .local
