Duodecim scripta
Duodecim Scripta ( Latin : "twelve lines"), also Ludus duodecim scriptorum , was the Latin name for an original form of today's game of backgammon . It is believed that the Romans derived the game from the ancient Egyptian board game Senet .
In contrast to Senet, the Romans already played the Duodecim Scripta on the classic backgammon board with 12 lines each in their own playing field. The Duodecim Scripta differs from today's backgammon mainly in that it was played with three dice and that you could not hit the opponent's stones.
A further development of this Duodecim Scripta was the Roman game Tabula , which is considered to be the direct forerunner of Backgammon.
Like all games of chance , Duodecim Scripta was officially forbidden in ancient Rome and could therefore only be played “privately”.
regulate
The game was played by two people, with the playing field having three rows of 12 fields. While the middle row only served as a storage and starting field for the player pieces, the two outer rows were the actual playing field. Each player played with 12 stones. The aim of the game was to play the pieces from the top right-hand playing field counter-clockwise over the bottom right-hand field. The dice were rolled alternately with two six-sided dice. A double was allowed to be rolled again. The players were free to play both numbers rolled one after the other with one stone or individually with two stones. If he came to a stop on a field on which an opponent's stone was already lying, it could be captured and had to start over. If there were two or more opposing stones on a field, it was not accessible to your own stones.
Another variation of the game consisted of playing with 15 stones and three dice each.
literature
- Erwin Glonnegger : The game book, board and placement games from all over the world Origin, rules and history Drei Magier Verlag, Uehlfeld 1999, p. 30, ISBN 3-9806792-0-9