Ludus Duadecim Scriptorum.

Ludus Duadecim Scriptorum.

Rules.

The board has three horizontal lines there are twelve spaces on each line, marked by letters. Each line

is split equally down the middle forming six rows of six these rows were originally depicted by texts 

but was simplified later with the letters. Each phase of play has certain variations of the rules they are

as follows.

Phase One. 

Each player has a row in the middle opposite each other this is the player’s home and all pieces must 

be scored onto home before play can begin. To score a piece onto the board you have to throw a 

number from one to six with your three dice these dice are also used for movement in the next phase 

of play.

Phase Two.

During this phase the player needs to move all of their pieces around the board from B through to E 

to do this they use the three dice from the previous phase these rolls can be used in combination to 

make one large move, as three separate moves or as two moves one larger one smaller.

 If a player roles a double or triple, it makes no difference to his movement. However if a piece is 

moved onto a space where there is already a piece it is stacked and from then moved as one piece. 

The capture mechanic uses this stacking mechanic to decide the outcome if a piece is moved onto a 

space occupied by an enemy stack then the stack with the most pieces wins and the other players 

stack is captured and has to re-enter the board through the home squares. If this happens then the 

player whose pieces have been captured must enter them onto the board before his journey around the

board can continue. Blocked pieces or inicti which means “those who cannot move.” This is fine until

the player cannot move any pieces he is then forced to lose a turn.  

Phase Three.

The final phase of play begins when a player scores his pieces onto the final six squares. Now he must score off the board one piece at a time the rules state that a piece may be removed from the board only once the number the piece sits on is thrown. This takes a long time to be achieved and if a piece is captured in the E final phase area it is returned to the first space of A and he must move those pieces all the way back round the board to get to E before he may Begin Phase three again.

Although this is the end of the game is apparent that people who played the game regularly would agree on a point for one game, the winner being the player who earns ten points.

History.

 

Ludus Duodeci Scriptorium originated in the Eclictic Roman empire more commonly known as the 

game of twelve markings. This version of the game was played on a board in three rows of twelve, however during the first century it declined in popularity it was at this point that Ludus Duodeci scriptorium was iterated and Tabula born. Tabula differed from Ludus Duodeci scriptorium in board size and thus pace. Roman historian Suetonius stated that the emperor Claudius (10 b.c.e.-54 c.e.) Loved the game so much that he wrote a book about it in 50 A.D, he was also a well-known supporter of the arts having also during his reign revived many of the venues around Rome.

Ludus Duodeci Scriptorium or Duodecim Scripta for short was most importantly documented due to an eruption from Mount Vesuvius in 63 C.E. partly covered the city in ash extinguishing life and preserving it perfectly, the eruption and subsequent destruction of the city was completed in 79.C.E. and would not see the light of day for 1,700 years. This extraordinary catastrophe would present an opportunity into the lives of the extinct people of Pompeii. Numbered among these discoveries were two murals found on the wall of an inn, the first one depicts two men playing a board game the man at the left is holding up his cup saying “I’m out!” the other points at the dice and replies “that’s two dice, not three!” he is accusing the first man of cheating. The second mural is of an inn keep playing porter pushes the two men outside “If you want to fight, you can do it outside!” this game was sparked by Duodecim Scripta this shows that the board game was incredible popular among the roman people of all classes, there are numerous references to it in roman literature and all the facts indicate that Duodecim Scripta is the precursor to the Backgammon we know today.