Circus Minimus

About this board game

Circus Minimus is a Roman Coliseum racing game for 2–7 players, with an approximately 60-minute play time. Players compete in a desperate bid to reach the finish line while managing their chariots, drivers, and weapons.

The game borrows its theme and rule basis from Circus Maximus, but uses considerably fewer rules and less variability to navigate. This simplified approach keeps the focus on the race and the dangerous contests between opposing teams.

Before the race begins, each player receives a small allotment of gold coins. That gold is used to select combinations of weapons, chariots, or drivers, giving every team its starting configuration before entering the Coliseum.

• Race around the ancient Roman Coliseum toward the finish line.
• Use whips to urge your team onward.
• Attack other players or damage their teams.
• Deal with driver fatigue, control checks, and bodily damage.

Once the race is underway, speed is only part of the challenge. Players must contend with fatigue and control checks while enduring the possibility of bodily damage, creating a contest where every team’s condition matters.

With room for up to seven players and a straightforward rule base, Circus Minimus offers a compact take on ancient chariot racing. Its mix of limited pre-race purchasing, racing, whips, attacks, and physical hazards puts the struggle for the finish line at the center of every game.