Ancient and World History

The construction of the Great Wall of China began under the Qin dynasty (pronounced 'Chin' in Wade-Giles romanization) around 220 BCE, when Emperor Qin Shi Huang connected existing fortification walls built by earlier states.

The sexagesimal system (base-60) was developed by the Sumerians, an ancient civilization in Mesopotamia. Option B is correct. This system is still used today in measuring time (60 seconds, 60 minutes) and angles (360 degrees). Egyptians used different systems. Mesopotamia is the region, not the specific civilization.

The earliest known waterclock was found in Egypt, dating back to approximately 1500 BCE. Option A is correct. Ancient Egyptians used water clocks (clepsydra) to measure time. Greece and Babylon developed water clocks later, and Sumer is not the earliest known location.

The Great Pyramid of Giza at Giza was built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, specifically during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu (also known as Cheops). Modern archaeological evidence and historical records place its construction between approximately 2584-2561 BC. The other date ranges correspond to different Egyptian dynasties and rulers.

The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, created by the Greek sculptor Phidias around 435 BC. It was a chryselephantine sculpture made for the Greeks at the sanctuary of Olympia. Goths, Romans, and Carians were not the original builders.

The Porcelain Tower (Bao'ensi) of Nanjing was built during the Ming Dynasty in the 15th century, commissioned by the Yongle Emperor. It was one of the tallest buildings in pre-modern China before its destruction in the 19th century.

Machu Picchu was built by the Inca civilization in the 15th century. The Incas constructed it as an estate for Emperor Pachacuti. Options A (Mayans) were in Central America, B (Bantus) were an African ethnic group, and D (Romans) were in Europe - none built this South American site.

The Babylonians are credited with creating one of the earliest recorded calendars, based on the cycles of the moon, around 2000 BCE. This lunar-solar calendar helped them track agricultural seasons.

The plot describes Cleopatra's wager with Caesar to build a monument in record time, which is exactly 'Asterix and Cleopatra' (Astérix et Cléopâtre). Edifis asks Getafix for help, and both his rival and Caesar's agents try to sabotage the construction.

The ancient Olympic Games originated in ancient Greece in 776 BC and were held in Olympia as a religious festival honoring Zeus. The Romans, Egyptians, and Jews did not originate the Olympics - the Greeks established this tradition.

Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March - March 15, 44 B.C. - by a group of senators in the Roman Senate House. The date has become infamous in history as the day Caesar fell to conspiracy.

Agrippina the Younger was Claudius's wife (and also his niece) who famously poisoned him with tainted mushrooms to secure the throne for her son Nero. She was not his sister, mother, or daughter.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang (first emperor of the Qin Dynasty) initiated the Great Wall's construction around 220 BC by connecting and fortifying existing walls from rival states. The Han, Shang, and Qing dynasties came later, with some expanding the wall, but Qin was the founder. 'Ching' appears to be a misspelling of Qing.

Harappan civilization traded with Mesopotamia, Persia, and Afghanistan as evidenced by archaeological finds of seals and artifacts. Mesoamerica is in Central America across oceans, making trade impossible given Bronze Age technology and the timeframe of the Indus Valley Civilization (3300-1300 BCE)