What Were the Ancient Greek Board Games Like?
What Were the Ancient Greek Board Games Like?
What Were the Ancient Greek Board Games Like?
By Alexander Gale
July 23, 2023
Summary
To pass the time the ancient Greeks played various board and dice games which have been attested to in various literary and pictorial sources.
Greek poets and philosophers frequently attributed board games and children's activities to divine creations, symbolizing essential moral lessons and serving as powerful metaphors for governing a state.
In more ordinary terms, one can imagine friends gathering at the agora to while the time away playing a favorite board game or soldiers throwing dice to keep boredom at bay during a long campaign.
Known as "Pesseia," also referred to as "Petteia," this ancient board game holds a significant place in Greek literature, capturing the imagination of poets and philosophers alike.
Pentre Grammai, a beloved board game in Ancient Greece, particularly in Attica, has left a rich archaeological trail, with its images discovered in numerous excavations, including temple floors.
Similar to the confusion between Pesseia and Latrunculi, the Greek board game Tabula often gets mistaken for "Duodecim Scripta." The challenge in researching this ancient precursor to Backgammon is exacerbated by the fact that "Tabula" simply translates to "Board" in Latin, making it difficult to distinguish relevant sources.
Remarkably, only a few rules separated this ancient game from the modern Backgammon we know today: players began with their pieces off the board and employed three dice instead of two.
Reference
Gale, A. (2023, July 23). What were the ancient Greek board games like?. GreekReporter.com. https://greekreporter.com/2023/07/23/ancient-greek-board-games/