Great History Challenge Practice Test

The main idea here is recognizing a term that specifically describes someone who follows a polytheistic belief system, especially in ancient times. Pagan is the best fit because it is the traditional label used for people who worship many gods, as opposed to a single god. In ancient contexts, societies such as the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and others practiced polytheism, and outsiders or Christians often referred to these followers as pagans.

Monotheist describes someone who believes in one God, which is the opposite of polytheism. Atheist refers to someone who does not believe in any gods, not someone who follows multiple deities. Theist means a believer in at least one god but does not specify how many; it could be one god or many, so it’s too generic to capture the idea of polytheism. That specificity is what makes pagan the most appropriate term for a follower of a polytheistic religion in ancient times.