Researchers have cracked the rules of a mysterious board game from the late Roman Empire, using artificial intelligence to analyze wear patterns on a stone game board discovered in the Netherlands. The findings, published in the journal Antiquity, shed light on a previously unknown form of leisure activity enjoyed by people nearly two millennia ago.
The Discovery and Initial Mystery
The game board, approximately eight inches across and made from imported French limestone, was found in Heerlen (ancient Coriovallum) in the late 19th or early 20th century. Its unusual angular design—an oblong octagon inside a rectangle—didn’t match any known ancient game rules, leaving scholars puzzled for decades. The absence of written documentation further complicated the task of understanding how it was played.
AI-Powered Reconstruction
To solve the puzzle, researcher Walter Crist and his team employed a novel approach: training two AI agents to play the game using over 100 different rule sets derived from known European games, both ancient and modern. The AI played over 1,000 simulated matches per rule set, allowing researchers to track piece movement and compare it to the actual wear patterns on the stone board.
The analysis revealed that nine rule sets were consistent with the grooves worn into the stone, all variations of a “blocking game” similar to tic-tac-toe, where players aim to obstruct their opponent’s movement. This confirms that the game was likely played casually and was not a formal or high-status activity.
A European First
The Roman game, now named Ludus Coriovalli (“the game from Coriovallum”), represents the earliest known example of this type of blocking game in Europe. Previously, similar games were believed to have originated in Scandinavia during the medieval period. This discovery pushes the timeline back by centuries, revealing a deeper connection between ancient Roman and later European leisure traditions.
Why This Matters
This breakthrough demonstrates how AI can breathe new life into archaeological mysteries. Ancient games are more than just curiosities; they offer a window into the past, showing us how people spent their free time, strategized, and interacted socially. The fact that these games resemble modern forms like backgammon or chess suggests that core human tendencies for competition and recreation have persisted across millennia.
Understanding these ancient pastimes can lead to deeper insights into the daily lives and cultures of those who came before us.
The team hopes this methodology will be applied to other unsolved ancient games, unlocking further secrets of the past. The game is now available to play online, allowing anyone to experience the Roman pastime firsthand.
