Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

The Games that started it all

The first modern Olympic Games opened in Athens in 1896, more than 1,500 years after the ancient Games were abolished. Around 240 athletes took part, all of them men, representing roughly 14 nations. The programme included athletics, cycling, swimming, gymnastics and fencing, among other sports. Winners received a silver medal and an olive branch, a nod to the ancient Greek tradition.

A number system built for carving

Roman numerals like CM, which stands for 900, follow a simple rule: when a smaller value sits before a larger one, it is subtracted. This system was designed for inscriptions on stone and metal rather than for calculation, which is one reason Europe gradually replaced it with Arabic numerals, a system that reached the continent through medieval trade and scholarship.

A nickname with a sweet origin

No one knows exactly why New York City became known as the Big Apple, but the phrase was popularised in the 1920s by a sportswriter covering horse racing. Decades later, the city's tourism campaign in the 1970s revived the nickname and turned it into a global brand. Today it is one of the most recognisable city nicknames in the world.

Marseille and the Mediterranean

Marseille, founded by Greek settlers around 600 BC, is one of the oldest cities in France and its main Mediterranean port. Milan and Verona, by contrast, sit in the north of the country, far from the coast. Marseille's position on the sea has shaped its identity for centuries, from its role in trade to its famous bouillabaisse, a fish stew traditionally made with the day's catch.