Capitol

About this board game

Capitol is a 2–4 player board game about architectural rivalry in old Rome, with games lasting about 60 minutes. As an “Architect of the Eternal City,” each player competes to create spectacular buildings and secure dominance across the Roman prefectures.

The game unfolds over four rounds, each divided into a building phase, an auction phase, a scoring phase, and a card drawing phase. During building, players choose the height of their buildings and construct them beside the board. With the necessary permit, they can build directly on the board itself.

A building is complete once it receives a roof. The first roof placed in a prefecture determines the shape of every other roof there, adding an important consideration to the development of each area. Players must use the available building materials effectively as they work toward the highest score.

• 90 blocks and 40 roofs form the central building supply.
• Permits allow buildings to be constructed on the board.
• Auctions feature temples, wells, and amphitheaters.
• Special landmarks acquired during auctions can earn extra points.

Capitol combines territory acquisition and resource management with an auction element. The scoring phase rewards progress, while the card drawing phase prepares the game for the next round, keeping the competition moving through Rome’s changing prefectures.

Designed by Alan R. Moon and Aaron Weissblum and released in 2001, Capitol is also noted for its beautiful production. Its blend of building decisions, permits, scoring, and auctions puts the focus on using limited blocks and roofs as effectively as possible.