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History of Iran Quiz

Can you answer these questions about the history of Persia?
Quiz by
Aaron197
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Last updated: September 30, 2020
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First submittedNovember 16, 2019
Times taken15,883
Average score60.0%
Rating4.65
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Question
Answer
What prophet was born on the Iranian plateau between 1000 and 1500 BC, founding a
religion that is still practiced today?
Zoroaster
Who founded the Achaemenid Persian empire in the 500s BC?
Cyrus the Great
What Mesopotamian capital did that ruler conquer in 539 BC?
Babylon
Who ruled the Persian empire at its greatest extent around 500 BC, when it
ruled over more than 40% of the world's population?
Darius the Great
Who succeeded the above, appearing in the Bible under the name Ahasuerus?
Xerxes the Great
What modern-day country did the above ruler invade in the 480s BC, with an army
reported to be 1 million strong?
Greece
What name was given to that army's elite group of 10,000 soldiers?
The Immortals
What was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire?
(also the name of a 2007 animated movie)
Persepolis
What Greek ruler conquered Persia?
Alexander the Great
What Persian empire, rivals of ancient Rome, were famous for firing arrows
backwards while retreating on horseback?
Parthian Empire
What branch of mathematics is Persian scholar Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi
considered the "father" of?
Algebra
What group of people invaded the Iranian plateau in 1219, eventually
reducing the population by 75%?
The Mongols
What universalist religion was founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 1863?
Bahá'í Faith
What was the title of the Iranian ruler who was overthrown in 1979?
Shah
What country's embassy did Iran invade in 1979, taking 52 hostages?
United States
What cleric was made Supreme Leader after the 1979 revolution?
Ruhollah Khomeini
What was the religious title of the above?
Ayatollah
What British writer did that leader threaten with a death edict in 1989?
Salman Rushdie
What military force, established in 1979, do some people consider to be the
most powerful institution in the country?
Revolutionary
Guards
What country did Iran fight a war against in the 1980s?
Iraq
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45 Comments
sillie
+4
Level 75
Jan 7, 2020
Unsullied, anyone?
GlassMonkeyOLD
+1
Level 69
Jan 7, 2026
Tried that.
blizzrd33
+4
Level 81
Jan 7, 2020
Could Parthia be accepted for Parthian Empire? I spent a while wondering if I had the wrong period of history before trying it as an adjective rather than a noun.
AlexThirkell
+2
Level 74
Dec 9, 2020
I think the deal is that Parthia was a region not the empire. I was briefly confused too though.
cornflakesfu
+13
Level 89
Jan 7, 2020
This quiz is (the) Great.
zakatan
+3
Level 65
Jan 8, 2020
spilled my coffee over this XD
JWC1202
+4
Level 76
Jan 7, 2020
Terrific quiz. Although I might rephrase the one about Persepolis to read: What was the capital of the Achaemenid Empire?

(also the name of a 2000 graphic novel and made into a 2007 animated film)

kalbahamut
+3
Level 80
Jan 8, 2020
There weren't any 2007 films named Pasargadae, Ecbatana or Babylon that I know of, so good enough as is. Plus it's shorter.
Djilas
+4
Level 86
Jan 8, 2020
I thought the graphic novel was more famous than the film
Quizmaster
+2
Level ∞
Jan 8, 2020
Haha. People don't read.
Quizmaster
+6
Level ∞
Jan 8, 2020
But, seriously, the graphic novel is great and you should check it out. Haven't seen the movie myself...
PantsLobbyist
+2
Level 98
Jan 8, 2020
Graphic novel is commonly taught in University here, but QM is right, people don't read.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 80
Jan 8, 2020
The movie was great, too.
JWatson24
+2
Level 71
Jan 11, 2020
Graphic novel tops my list of favorite graphic novels, but I haven't watched the film
Jacktheguy
+2
Level 93
Oct 29, 2022
I read 2007 film and guessed 300.
wtstoudt
+3
Level 82
Nov 1, 2022
I guessed "Ratatouille." I've learned the only dumb guesses are the ones you don't make...
Arp2600
+4
Level 89
Jan 8, 2020
Not bad, but could be better balanced (too many questions about the Achaemenids, too many about 1979).
Djilas
+4
Level 86
Jan 8, 2020
And it looks like not much happened between ancient and modern times
Quizmaster
+9
Level ∞
Jan 8, 2020
I like the quiz this way. We all know the recent history. And the Achaemenid stuff is really important because that's when Persia controlled 40% of the world's population! (The most that any empire has every controlled, BTW). Usually when a quiz is unbalanced its because the underlying material is unbalanced as well.
Quizmaster
+9
Level ∞
Jan 8, 2020
Of course lots happened but it didn't rise to world historical importance, in my opinion. Lesson learned: you really don't want nomadic horsemen riding through your territory for a few hundred years. Supposedly it took until the 1900s for Iran's population to rebound to pre-Mongol invasion levels.
Arp2600
+9
Level 89
Jan 8, 2020
I still suggest a question about the Sasanians, a brilliant civilization, the last in Persia before Islam, and the plague of the Roman Empire (whereas the Parthian were a quite soft rival). You also could think of the Safavids, the ones who established Shia Islam in Iran.
samiamco
+9
Level 68
Jan 9, 2020
I was also surprised not to see something about Shia Islam, as that’s something that’s distinctive about Iran: It has – by far – the largest percentage of Shiites (95%!) of all Muslim populations anywhere. It’s also the cause of much historical intra-Muslim tensions up through and including the present day. Worthy of inclusion on this fine quiz?
omjplecenc
+4
Level 43
Jan 11, 2020
Persia, as an independent country ceased to exist for a long time after the islamic conquest, but that doesn't mean noting happened. During the golden age of the Islamic civilization, Persians were among the main contributors (if not the top contributors) in many sciences, whether it is Mathematics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, History, Islamic sciences or even Arabic grammar. However, apart from a few names like Al-Khawarizmi, most of these people are not known in the West.
Deru
+1
Level 36
Oct 30, 2022
The architecture is stunning!
angrobper14
+4
Level 86
Jan 8, 2020
Ah, al-Khwarizmi! Your stern gaze still haunts the nightmares of those who hate Maths with all of their heart!

(For those who don't get it: al-Khwarizmi was for so many time on the cover of Baldor's Algebra, the quintessential algebra book in Latin America)

MattD07
+2
Level 58
Jan 8, 2020
Well, this was the perfect time to release this quiz.
Fresco3
+1
Level 70
Jan 8, 2020
US doesn’t count for the embassy question???
Quizmaster
+14
Level ∞
Jan 9, 2020
At level 58 you should know that US never counts. USA always works though.
gzx5
+2
Level 75
Jan 11, 2020
Did you choose Iran/Persia as the topic because of the conflict Trump has with them right now?
orangeflag
+2
Level 55
Jan 11, 2020
Can you accept "Islamic Revolutionary" for the penultimate question?
fcalvaresi
+6
Level 37
Jan 11, 2020
Interesting quiz but we should have more Sassanid history.
Urdaneta
+5
Level 59
Jan 12, 2020
This is a really good quiz but a few questions about Sassanid and Safavid periods would make it even better
ruudsje
+4
Level 68
Jan 12, 2020
no love for their rugs?
Deru
+1
Level 36
Oct 30, 2022
I love their carpets.
QuizFace
+3
Level 61
Jan 15, 2020
Suggest accept "Islamic Revolutionary" for the guards question as that's what they are known as, IRGC.
JWatson24
+3
Level 71
Dec 26, 2020
If anyone wants a more in-depth quiz on recent Iranian history (specifically the Iranian Revolution and Khomeini), I made one here!
JWatson24
+2
Level 71
May 27, 2021
Also a map quiz on Iranian ethnic groups over here. I put a lot of time into this, so I'd appreciate if people checked it out!
Deru
+1
Level 36
Oct 30, 2022
It"s too sad. I'll pass
WhelchareHistroy
+4
Level 51
Nov 17, 2021
i typed in mongols and it wasnt accepted, the answer was ¨the Mongols' could you loosen up the spealling
Deru
+1
Level 36
Oct 30, 2022
Iran was such a cool country under the Shah. He was so handsome and he respected women. You should see photos of the 1970s , everyone is happy and partying, the women in mini skirts and stylish haircuts. Wow, what Happened to that country? I have friends who fled right before the revolution.
Deru
+1
Level 36
Oct 30, 2022
I'm glad you included Zoroaster. I think it's strange how more Persians don't follow him; a peaceful and enlightened prophet Freddy Mercury 's family was Zoroastrian
Deru
+1
Level 36
Oct 30, 2022
Excellent quiz , Aaron.
mfmehrpooya
+1
Level 38
Nov 3, 2022
as Iranian literally I sucked 😑 11/20
RJG
+1
Level 63
Feb 20, 2023
15/20 , remaining 5 questions didn't have a clue, but fair result.
MarcellDAvis
+1
Level 80
Jul 24, 2023
When I read Rushdie's Satanic Verses, I got the impression that it was not so much his description of Muhamad (whom he never refers to explicitly) but rather the description of Khomeini in this book that might have triggered that "supreme leader" so much. It's sad that after more than 40 years, there was finally a successful attack on Rushdie, long after that bitter old man Khomeini had died. Rushdie is a wonderful writer and a champion of true unfettered free speech, free of legal restrictions but also free of other repercussions by those who threaten it with violence or other forms of suppression because they cannot tolerate someone having a different opinion. Long live Salman Rushdie!
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