Tabula (game)

Tabula, sometimes referred to as Alea Tabulae, is a two-player ancient Roman board game. It is considered to be a descendant of the earlier Egyptian game Senet and a direct predecessor of modern backgammon.

The game is played on a board consisting of 24 points, arranged in two rows of 12 points each. Players move checkers around the board according to the roll of dice. The objective is to be the first to move all of one's checkers off the board.

While the precise rules of Tabula are not fully known, archaeological evidence, literary references, and comparison with similar games allow for a reasonable reconstruction. Evidence suggests the game involved strategic blocking, hitting opponent's checkers, and bearing off. The dice rolls dictated movement options, and strategy lay in maximizing favorable outcomes while minimizing risk.

Tabula was popular across different social classes in Roman society and is frequently mentioned in Roman literature and depicted in art. The game's name, "Tabula," simply means "table" or "board" in Latin. The popularity of Tabula extended into the Byzantine era, where it was known as τάβλη (távli).