Tabula

Tabula is a game of the Tables family of games, and is generally thought to be the direct ancestor of modern Backgammon.

The earliest description of it is in an epigram of Emperor Zeno (476-481CE) given by Agathias of Myrine (527-567CE), where Agathias describes an game in which Zeno through the unfortunate roll of dice goes from a strong position to a very weak one. The rules of Tabula were reconstructed in the 19th century by Becq de Fouquieres based upon this epigram.

Bibliography

• R. G. Austin, Roman Board Games. II, Greece & Rome, Volume 4, No. 11. (February 1935), pp. 76-82.