Ostia: The Harbor of Rome

About this board game

Ostia: The Harbor of Rome is an economic trading game for 3–5 players, played in about 60 minutes.

Players trade goods and decide how to use them: sell goods to earn money, or donate them to the senate of Rome. Donations can provide victory points, but the senate offers no money in return, making every contribution an important economic choice.

The senate’s priorities change from round to round. The ranking of the goods it needs most is visible for the next round, allowing you to plan ahead and decide whether to donate now or hold on to a valuable card.

• Trade goods to build up money for the next trading phase.
• Donate goods to the senate for victory points based on its current needs.
• Watch the market, hoping your goods are rarely sold there so they earn enough money.
• Manage storage, since you can keep only one goods card per storehouse.

Storage expands your ability to preserve goods for a later round, but storehouses are expensive. This creates a constant tension between spending money on storage and keeping enough funds available for future trading.

In Ostia, the changing ranking of goods, uncertain market sales, and limited storage make timing central to your plans. Released in 2005, it focuses on the balance between immediate income, future value, and donations to Rome’s senate.