The Rise of the Roman Republic

About this board game

The Rise of the Roman Republic is a 1–2 player historical wargame covering Rome’s formative conflicts, with scenarios that can generally be completed in an evening. Released in 2003, it introduces The Ancient World series through focused campaigns on a single map of Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica.

The game covers the Samnite Wars, including a three-player version featuring the invasion of Alexander of Epirus, the invasion of Pyrrhus and his Sicilian adventures, and the first three years of Hannibal. The map includes a dated road system, while the game’s scale represents one year per turn and 13 miles per hex.

Movement is driven by an unusual system with no fixed allowance limits. Troops grouped under a leader may move as far and as long as they wish, subject primarily to the leader’s capability and the effects of attrition. This creates a campaign game focused on operational reach, army leadership, and the consequences of extended movement.

Playing Rome also means managing its political system. Yearly elections, proroguing consuls, and requests for Senate permission can all affect what the Roman armies are able to do. Land combat uses a distinctive Combat Results Table, including Unusual Result dice rolls that represent battles whose outcomes defied the apparent odds.

• 840 full-color counters representing armies and other game elements
• A 22 × 34 inch map covering Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica
• Roman and non-Roman army and occupation displays
• Charts, tables, alliance tracks, and a ten-sided die

Elephants, Carthaginian cavalry, and Epirote hoplites add historical character to the conflicts. With its compact scenarios and detailed campaign operations, The Rise of the Roman Republic offers an accessible introduction to the broader Ancient World system.