Game History & Culture

Board Games in Ancient Art: Visual Evidence of Play Across Civilizations

When Artists Captured the Act of Play Games leave behind game boards and playing pieces, and these physical artifacts tell us much about what ancient people played. But there is another category of evidence — equally important and often more revealing — that tells us how they played: art. Across the ancient world, artists depicted […]

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Craps origins

History of Craps: From Medieval Hazard to America’s Favorite Dice Game

Walk onto any bustling casino floor, and you will inevitably be drawn to the loudest, most energetic table—the one surrounded by a crowd cheering, groaning, and high-fiving in unison. This is the world of Craps. More than just a game, it is a communal experience, a high-octane spectacle of luck and camaraderie. While it feels

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Tesserae and Tali: How Roman Dice Games Became the Ancestor of Craps

The unmistakable sound of dice tumbling across a felt table is a cornerstone of the modern casino experience. But this thrilling game of chance has roots that stretch back over two millennia, to the taverns, military camps, and villas of ancient Rome. The Romans were fanatical gamblers, and their favorite games, played with Tesserae (dice)

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