Are you a modern day Barbarian? – words Alan Woods
From Attila the Hun to Hannibal of Carthage, some of the world’s fiercest men and women were the enemies of Rome.
In History’s latest docudrama, you’ll be able to discover the backstory behind the people who stood up to the greatest military empire that ever existed. In the modern era, some of the personality traits of these barbarians can actually help you out in real life.
With that in mind, History has designed a Become a Barbarian quiz that poses interesting questions such as ‘You come across a wounded enemy soldier on the battlefield. How do you react?” to determine what type of barbarian you might have been if you’d lived thousands of years ago. You’ll score points in bravery, leadership, cunning and strength and be presented with a custom barbarian card that gives you your appearance and name.
By taking the quiz, you’ll discover what aspects of your personality are the most barbarian. Whether you score highly in bravery, like the mighty Boudica, or strength, like Spartacus, you’ll see how you’d have fared against the Roman Empire.
If you score highly in bravery, for example, you’re probably the kind of person who isn’t afraid to be first over the line when a task needs completed, or the first one to jump to a friend or colleagues defense in difficult situations. Boudica was the queen of the Iceni tribe, a Celtic warrior who revolted against the superior Roman forces and almost drove them out of Britain. She showed supreme bravery in battling an army that had superior tactics, training and discipline and has gone down as a British icon.
Alternatively, you might see yourself scoring highly in strength. Like the mighty Spartacus, you are most likely a physical person who isn’t afraid of confronting situations. You’ll have mental determination and see any task you set yourself through to the very end. Strength is a great characteristic to have in a team, as you’ll be the one people look to when things get tough. Spartacus led an open rebellion after escaping slavery against the Romans. While you won’t be up against the same odds, meeting the challenges of life with determination shows you’ve got barbarian strength.
Some barbarians used guile, tactics and manoeuvring to succeed. Attila the Hun was one of the most feared enemies of Rome, but some of his main strategies involved doing exactly the opposite of what Rome expected and inspiring fear with acts of terror. If you score higher in cunning, you might have more in common with Attila than you thought. But don’t worry – showing guile doesn’t make you a bad person. It just shows you know what you want, and how to get it.
Finally, you might score higher in leadership. You’ll have lots in common with barbarians then – such as Hannibal of Carthage, one of Rome’s greatest foes. The master strategist was from Carthage and led his forces against Rome on multiple occasions, taking measured gambles to come out on top. His name has gone down in history thanks to impeccable leadership. If you scored highly here, you might have what it takes to be a team leader, manager or business owner.
Whatever stat you score highest in, there’s a lot to be learned from the lessons left behind by the men and women brilliant enough to stand against the Roman Empire. Watch Barbarians Rising to discover more about their lives.
Are you a modern day Barbarian? Take the Become a Barbarian quiz to see how you fared against history’s finest barbarians. Let us know in the comments what you scored!
