What Would Your Medieval Job Be?

By: Heather Cahill
Estimated Completion Time
6 min
What Would Your Medieval Job Be?
Image: Vladimir Vladimirov/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

If we had the ability to time travel, we would have the answers to many questions. We wouldn't just know more about the world in general; we could also find out a thing or two about ourselves. Whether we lived past lives or we actually traveled to the past to stay, we would all have jobs as we do today. Have you ever wondered what your job would be if you lived in the past?

The medieval period is considered to be from about 400 A.D. to the late 1400s. These years offered many ways to make money. Many were even very similar to our jobs today. While some medieval jobs are almost unheard of today, such as cobblers, there were bakers and even carpenters, just as we have today. Did you know that there were even organizations similar to our unions today? In the Middle Ages, they were more commonly known as guilds, but many helped workers by determining good practices and setting out wages for those in the trade.

Are you ready to dig into what you would be best at in the Middle Ages? Then hop into the time machine and find out if you'd work for the royals or set off on your own!

1 new in town
Vladimir Vladimirov/E+/Getty Images
You’re in a new town. What’s the first thing you do?
Treat myself to some local cuisine
Get all of my things set up
Introduce myself to everyone
Drive around the area

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2 kingdom
arssecreta/E+/Getty Images
There have been so many different kingdoms throughout history. Which empire would you have liked to live in?
Ancient Greece
Roman Empire
British Empire
Ottoman Empire

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3 social interaction
Lorado/E+/Getty Images
Not everyone enjoys social interaction all of the time! Are you a people person?
Not really
Definitely not. Talking is not my thing.
Yes! I'm always happy to talk to someone.
Sure, I don't mind people.

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4 modern luxury
Anna Gorin/Moment/Getty Images
If you went back in time to the Middle Ages, what modern luxury do you think you’d miss?
I'd miss the kitchen appliances. I love a good fridge!
I would really miss the power tools that we have available.
I would hate to lose our computers and other technology.
Modern vehicles are what I would miss most.

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5 daily routine
Lorado/E+/Getty Images
Think of your daily routine. What is the most important part of your day?
It's important for me to always get my daily nutrition.
I really need to prepare for my job.
Paying the bills
Staying on schedule

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6 Offa’s Dyke
joe daniel price/Moment/Getty Images
Time to choose where you would make your home. Where would you live in medieval times?
West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village
Near Offa’s Dyke
Bewcastle, Cumbria
Colmar, France

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7 painted house
Jacobs Stock Photography Ltd/DigitalVision/Getty Images
Each one symbolizes something different. What color would you have painted your medieval house?
White, for all good to come into my life
Green, so that I could have a better rest at night
Purple, for the royals
Blue, for the Virgin Mary

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8 working with your hands
alexxx1981/E+/Getty Images
Do you enjoy working with your hands, or is office work more your style?
Working with my hands, most of the time
Working with my hands — it's a requirement for me!
Office work is definitely my style.
I just want to work outdoors.

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9 medieval games
PATSTOCK/Moment/Getty Images
Which of the following medieval games would you like to try?
Nine men's morris, for sure!
It would be cool to try shuffleboard.
Chess would be fun to play.
I'd try out hazard.

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10 stress level
Mihaela Muntean/Moment/Getty Images
Every job has its stress levels, but how stressed do you get at work on a typical day?
It depends on who I am working for.
Not very, but it can happen.
I'm very stressed at all times.
I'm never stressed!

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11 sympathetic
Onfokus/E+/Getty Images
How sympathetic are you when it comes to the problems of other people in your life?
If it’s my friends, I care a lot.
I only worry about myself.
I'm extremely sympathetic.
I always try to understand where they're coming from.

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12 skills
Lorado/E+/Getty Images
Of the following, which would you say you're the best at providing?
Quality
Design
Number skills
Manual labor

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13 rather spend money on
aluxum/E+/Getty Images
Maybe you're a big spender, or maybe you love saving all of that dough. What would you rather spend money on?
Food or home goods
Luxury items
The bare minimum
Entertainment

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14 apprentice
Lorado/E+/Getty Images
Would you ever take on an apprentice or trainee to mentor in your current job?
I'd think about it.
Absolutely. The more people the better!
Probably not. I don't think that would be required in my job.
Sure, under certain circumstances

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15 overseas assignment
Kirill Rudenko/Moment/Getty Images
Your boss wants to send you on an overseas assignment. Will you go?
I'd give it a shot.
Sure, I'd love my work to be found around the world.
Only if the work really interested me
No. Traveling is not for me.

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16 Coins of the Crusaders
Wiki Commons by CNG
It might be hard for you to choose, but what Middle Ages artifact fascinates you most?
The sewer sword is the most important to me.
Govan stones are really cool pieces.
The book coffer is right up my alley.
Coins of the crusaders are the most fascinating to me.

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17 work drag on
PaulaConnelly/E+/Getty Images
Do you find that your workday passes by quickly, or does it drag on?
I always wonder where the workday went.
I would say that time passes faster when the job is easier.
Once in a while it passes by quickly, but not usually.
It often drags on for me.

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18 wind down after work
PATSTOCK/Moment/Getty Images
You're finally done with work for the day. How do you wind down after a long day at work?
I make some dinner.
I hang out with my family.
I hop on the computer and check the internet.
I do the chores.

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19 how early
Lorado/E+/Getty Images
This simple task can really make you stand out from the crowd! How early do you arrive at work?
I'm always right on time.
I'm late once in a blue moon.
I arrive half an hour early every day.
I'm always there way too early!

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20 gone to and from work
CAP53/E+/Getty Images
How would you have gone to and from work in the Middle Ages?
I would walk.
I'd travel in a group to work. Think of it as a "walking pool"!
I'd travel by horse.
I'd take a carriage.

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21 interesting words
aluxum/E+/Getty Images
The people of the time had some interesting words. Of the following, what’s your favorite medieval word?
Buttress
Bascinet
Free-lance
Tasset

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22 dogs
Andrea Ricordi, Italy/Moment/Getty Images
Which of these animals taken to court in the Middle Ages is your favorite?
Dolphins are the best.
Dogs, of course
Many don't think that rats are cute, but I do!
I love pigs.

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23 pyggs
Guido Mieth/DigitalVision/Getty Images
While we have "piggy banks," they were once called "pyggs." Where would you hide your pygg from thieves?
In the bread!
I’d hide it in a secret compartment under my floor.
I’d keep it with me at all times.
Nowhere better than in the barn!

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24 cloaks
Marianne Purdie/Moment/Getty Images
Which Middle Ages fashion would you like to try, out of the following?
Cloaks
Tunics
Long-toed shoes
Stockings

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25 married and children
Yulia Reznikov/Moment/Getty Images
This is a big decision at any time in history: Would you have married or had children if you lived in medieval times?
Yes! Family life is important to me.
I probably wouldn't unless I was well off.
No, that wouldn't be for me.
I think I would have. The kids would be able to help me out in the field once they were old enough.

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26 Einstein
Wiki Commons by Al. Aumuller
Who would you say fascinates you the most in history?
Maria Anna Fisher
Leonardo da Vinci
Albert Einstein
Frank Lloyd Wright

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27 crown
Wiki Commons by United Kingdom Government
Can you pick just one crown from the Middle Ages that you would wear?
Crown of Princess Blanche
St. Edward’s Crown
Crown of Margaret of York
King John’s Crown

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28 Bamburgh Castle
JayKay57/E+/Getty Images
There are so many elaborate castles to choose from. Which castle from history do you wish you could work in?
Edinburgh Castle
Stirling Castle
Malbork Castle
Bamburgh Castle

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29 job interview
Lorado/E+/Getty Images
You've made it to your job interview. How do you stand out from an interview crowd?
I show up in person and make an impression.
I try to show the unique flair in my work.
I am personable and easy to talk to.
I try to find out what the boss likes and impress them.

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30 royal family
Yuri_Arcurs/E+/Getty Images
If you worked directly for the royal family, which job do you think you would be best at?
Assistant
Butler
Accountant
Horse groomer

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You Got: