Entertainment Mores

Ludus Latrunculorum is a game that has been around since the Roman Republic, and perhaps much longer. A poem of the first century A.D. tells of this game which archaeologists feel is similar to an Egyptian game. It is likely the Romans learned it from the Egyptians, and then adapted it. As soldiers moved throughout the empire so too did the game.

Prepare to Play

  • 2 players.
  • Board of 64 squares, in an 8 by 8 pattern. (A chess or checkerboard would suffice, or print one from here)
  • Each player must have 16 pieces of one color. (Again, checker pieces would do nicely, as well as colored stones, pieces of cardboard, etc.)
  • A seventeenth piece as the "Dux" for each color should be of a different size or shape.
  • Each player places two tiles anywhere on the board at a time, until all pieces are on the board. Once all thirty-two pieces are on the board, the Dux of each player must be placed somewhere on the board. Once a tile is laid down, it cannot be moved until play has begun.
  • The Play Phase
  • The players throw a die to determine who goes first.
  • The players then take turns moving any piece in any one direction at right angles. In other words, a player cannot move a regular piece straight ahead or straight back; only to the left or the right. The aim is to capture your opponent's pieces and dux.
  • A capture is made when one player captures another player's piece between two of his own pieces.
  • A captured piece is removed from the board.
  • If you make a capture, you get to continue playing.
  • In your turn, you may move a tile between two enemy tiles without risk of capture.
  • The Dux can be moved in any way or direction; in addition, it can jump over the opposition's pieces onto empty spaces at right angles (but straight ahead or back). If, by making this move, an enemy piece becomes surrounded by your two pieces, you may capture the piece, and move again.
  • In your turn, you must move a piece or your dux if at all possible.

 

The winner is the first player to successfully capture and remove all of his/her opponent's tiles and the dux.

 

How to capture a piece (illustrated)

  X    
  O    
    X  

In this example, X is ready to move. The player will move the X on the bottom to the left. This is allowed since the piece is going to the left, not up or down.

  X    
  O    
  X    

Here, the player has moved his piece. O is now surrounded on both sides. The second player must move the piece off the board.

This is how the board will look after the play. Player X gets to move again.

 

  X    
       
  X    
  • The game might also be called Ludus Praedonum- you are literally "stealing" your opponent's men.
  • This is a variation of the Japanese game "Go", or modern checkers.
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