Duodecim Scripta

Duodecim Scripta (aka Duodecim Scriptorum, Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum)

Type: Abstract
Status: Public domain / Historical
BGG entry: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/3457
Available from: http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/showcase/boardgames3.html

From the Roman Board Games website:

'Duodecim Scripta means "Twelve Lines." Two players sat across from each other and placed their 15 black or white pieces (presumably stacked) on the first square on their side of the board. They then each tossed a set of three dice fom a cup and would move their pieces according to the value of the throw.

'The object was to get all one's pieces across the board to the final square. If you landed on a square that had an opponent's piece already on it, that piece would return to (their) square one. If two or more opponent's pieces were already on the square, then it could not be occupied. Presumably you would be forced to fall short, or rearrange the moves of your own pieces.

'Obviously this game has a great deal in common with modern Backgammon and with Egyptian Senet. In fact, Duodecim Scripta may derive from its Egyptian precursor, since Senet dates to about 1000 years before the founding of Rome in 753 BC.'