How The Romans Played – Fun and Games

What did the Romans do in their spare time? We know they went to the games, theatres, races. Even the baths were viewed as both business and pleasure. Have you ever considered board games? Not scrabble or chess but still, games that challenged the mind and helped young players develop strategies that they could take with them to the front lines of the Empire.

Do you feel sorry for those poor Romans? They didn’t have things like Candy Crush or Wordle at their fingertips so let’s look at what they did have and how to play.

Tabula Rasa

“Tabula Rasa” is an ancient Roman board game that is also known as “Tabula” or “Ludus duodecim scriptorum.” It was a precursor to modern backgammon and was widely played during the Roman Empire. The rules are not known in their entirety but here are what we do know about the rules and gameplay of Tabula Rasa:

Objective:
The objective of Tabula Rasa is to move all of your pieces off the board while simultaneously blocking or capturing your opponent’s pieces.

Equipment:

• A Tabula Rasa game board, divided into two tables of 12 parts each.
• 30 game pieces, usually 15 for each player, of different colors.
• Two six-sided dice.
• A pair of dice cups.

Setup:

1. Place the board between the two players so that each player’s home table (the section closest to them) is on their right-hand side.
2. Each player sets up their 15 pieces on their home table as follows: five pieces on their 6-point, three pieces on their 8-point, five pieces on their 13-point, and two pieces on their 24-point.
3. Decide who goes first; traditionally, players would roll a single die, and the player with the highest roll goes first.

Gameplay:

1. Players take turns rolling the dice and then move their pieces based on the numbers rolled.
2. A piece may be moved forward along the board (in the direction from the player’s 1-point to their 24-point) the number of spaces indicated by the dice.
3. The following rules apply when moving pieces:

• A piece can only move to an open point (a point not occupied by two or more of the opponent’s pieces).
• If a player rolls the same number on both dice, they can move their pieces twice, using the same number for each move or using different numbers for each move.
• If a player rolls a number that corresponds to a point with only one of their pieces (a blot), they must move that piece the full value of one die and bear it off the board.
• If a player rolls a number that corresponds to a point with only one of their opponent’s pieces, they can capture that piece by moving to that point, sending the opponent’s piece to the bar (a special area outside the board). The captured piece must then re-enter the game from the bar.
• To re-enter a captured piece into the game, a player must roll the exact number needed to place the piece on their 1-point, and then move it forward from there.

1. Players can block their opponent’s pieces by occupying points with two or more of their own pieces. Blocked pieces cannot pass through points occupied by the opponent.

Bearing Off and Winning:

1. The primary objective is to bear off all 15 of your pieces from the board.
2. A player can begin bearing off only when all of their pieces are in their home table.
3. To bear off a piece, a player must roll the exact number needed to move that piece off their 1-point.
4. The first player to bear off all their pieces wins the game.

Doubling Cube (Optional):
In some variations of Tabula Rasa, a doubling cube is used to increase the stakes of the game. Players can propose to double the stakes at the start of their turn. The opponent can either accept the double and continue the game at the higher stakes or resign, forfeiting the current game.

Tabula Rasa is a game of strategy, skill, and luck, and its rules have influenced the development of modern backgammon. Enjoy playing this ancient Roman board game!

LUDUS LATRUNCULORUM

Tria

Tria is an ancient Roman board game that is believed to be one of the precursors to modern chess. While historical records about Tria are limited, it is thought to have been played during the Roman Empire, making it a significant part of ancient Roman gaming culture. Tria was also known as Merels

Gameboard and Setup:

• The Tria game board was typically square or rectangular, divided into a grid of squares or rectangles, much like a chess or checkers board.
• The board was often marked with lines or squares to create the playing area.
• Each player had an army of 9 pieces, typically represented by small stones, coins, or other tokens.
• The setup involved placing the pieces on the board in a specific configuration.

Rules and Gameplay:

• Tria was likely a two-player game, with each player controlling their own set of pieces.
• Players took turns moving their pieces according to specific rules.
• The exact rules of Tria are not well-documented, and historical records about its gameplay are scarce. As a result, the specific rules of the game remain a subject of debate among historians and game enthusiasts.
• It is believed that Tria involved strategic movement and possibly capturing the opponent’s pieces.
• Some theories suggest that Tria may have incorporated elements of strategy, similar to chess, as well as elements of territory control.

Historical Significance:

• Tria is considered significant in the history of board games because it represents an early form of strategy board games that influenced the development of more complex and modern games like chess.
• Chess, which originated in India and later spread to Persia, is often considered a descendant of Tria and other similar ancient games.
• The transition from Tria to chess marked a shift toward more intricate and elaborate rules, as well as greater complexity in piece movements and strategies.

Despite the limited historical information available about Tria, its existence and influence on the development of chess and other strategic board games are noteworthy. Tria serves as a testament to the enduring human fascination with strategic gameplay and the evolution of board games over time.

After a quick search on Etsy, I found a few sellers that produce accurate ancient Roman board games, if you are interested in giving them a go.

The British Museum has some interesting resources about gaming in Ancient Rome – Click here. The Romans had many different games that through the army spread across the Empire, rules and gameplay changing and developing as they travelled. Some others games I have come across in my research are Duodecim Scripta, Terni Lapilli

I have included Tria and Tabula Rasa in my novel Even Gods Are Blind. The Emperor challenges his slave to a rematch as his previous victory must have been a fluke!

Do you still play board games? Or are all games now on phones or consoles? I have made it a point to get together as a family to play board games, whether it’s Crocodile Dentist, Monopoly or Snakes and Ladders. Although some of us are sore losers…