Page 98 - The 'X' Zone Book of Triviology

o The custom of coloring Easter eggs dates back to the ancient Egyptians and Persians. They practiced the custom during their spring festivals. o The first chewing gum to be widely advertised in the United States was Tutti-Fruitti. o The troll doll of the 1960s was also called the Dammit doll, after its creator, Joseph Dam. o The wife of Emperor Nero had 500 asses to supply the milk for her baths. o Billiards was introduced to America by the Spaniards in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565. o Belgium’s capital and largest city, Brussels, is also NATO headquarters. o History, to Voltaire: “A long succession of useless cruelties.” o When it was first established, the U.S. Supreme Court used juries. o To celebrate his victory over roman general Pompey in 48 B.C., Julius Caesar gave a banquet at which 150,000 guests were seated at 22,000 tables. It lasted for two days. o The Roman empire was knit together by more than 50,000 miles of road. o The Roman Apicius published the first volume of recipes in A.D. 62. Titled De Re Coquinaria, it described the feasts enjoyed by Emperor Claudius. o Punishments were harsh in 1725 in East Hampton, Long Island, New York. Dick Syme, Hampton’s official whipper, was paid 3 shillings for each person whipped. o The word “daisy” comes from the Old English daeges eage, meaning “the eye of the sun.” o Byzantines never called themselves that. The term was first used in the Renaissance. o The system of counting the years from birth of Christ began in A.D. 534. The system was created by Dionysius Exiuus, also known as “Denis the Little.” o History, to Lord Chesterfield: “A confused heap of facts.” o History, to Thucydides: “Philosophy learned from examples.” o Romans did not eat sitting up - that was considered extremely bad manners. Romans ate in a reclined position on couches around the table. o The Circus Maximus (for horse and chariot racing) could hold up to 250,000 people. o The Villa Romana del Casle has famous mosaics showing Roman girls in bikinis. o There actually was a Lion King. His name was Sundiata who found the great trading empire of Mali in th the 13 century. o Confucius (551-479 B.C.) was also called Kong Zi, or “Master Kong.” o Crossing the Gobi, Genghis Khan’s troops survived by drinking horses’ blood. th o Chess is a descendant of an Indian game known as “Chatur-Anga,” played in the 7 century. o Betsy Ross’s pew was next to George Washington’s at Philadelphia’s Christ Church. o King Edward “the Confessor” was so named because of his construction of Westminster Abbey. o Poland is named for the Slavic tribe Polane. o Before his victory at Hastings, William the Conqueror was called “William the Bastard.” o William the Conqueror was the result of his father’s affair with a tanner’s daughter. o The Domesday Book, a census of the English kingdom, is the first known survey of its type. It was ordered in 1085 by William the Conqueror. o The Bayeux Tapestry (actually an embroidery) measures over 230’ long and 20” wide. o The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Norman invasion of England and the events that led up to it. o The step-pyramid at Sakkarah, Egypt, is considered the oldest man-made building still standing. o Alfred, King of England (A.D. 849-899), is the only English king called “the Great.” o The Cuna, Guaymi, and Choco Indians of Panama wore breast plates of beaten gold which helped reinforce the Spanish myth of El Dorado, “the city of gold.” o “Panama” is a native word that means “plenty of fish.”