ALEA IACTA EST

Caesar does not play dice!

Or does he?!

GAME SUMMARY GAME SUMMARY

Each player takes on the role of Caesar and tries The players use their
collect the most Fame points. This is achieved dice by placing them
through the strategic use of his eight dice, which he on the different
gradually places on the various buildings. This can buildings in the game
create new provinces which can be populated with (such as the Temple or
suitable Patricians. Even the temple of the goddess the Roman Forum)
Fortuna can contribute to his success. hoping to collect the
Since each roll of the dice often results in several maximum number of
possibilities, the game outcome depends not only on Fame points.
luck (or misfortune) of players, but also on their right
decisions at right moment.
After all players have placed their dice, they will be
evaluated. Whoever has the best combinations of
placement will gain Fame points and so increase his
glory!
Whoever has the most
The player who has collected the most Fame points at the end of
points at the end of the game is the winner the game wins.

GAME MATERIALS
8 Punchboards containing:
5 Buildings (Temple, Senate, Castrum, Roman
Forum, Latrine)
19 Senate cards (with "S.P.Q.R." on the back)
25 Province cards (with the values I-IV in 6
different colors and a grey ‘0-value’ wildcard)
36 Patrician tiles (3 women and 3 men in 6
different colors with the values I, II and III)
30 Fortuna tiles (8 each of the values I and III, and
14 tiles of the value II)
30 Repeat (“Re-roll”) tokens (orange hexagons)
1 Start Player Marker (an octagon featuring
“Caesar”)

40 dice (8 each of gray, brown, blue, green and

yellow)

Use this rulebook for the first time you play the game, ignoring the
brief bold text in the right side column. This text serves as a short
description of major game rule points which can be helpful as a
refresher when you play the game again.

[English Rules Translation by Kasey Relford, with assistance from Jeffrey

Allers and Jeff Stevens.]
Page 1

GAME PREPARATION GAME PREPARATION

The five buildings are shown [in the graphics The buildings and the
included with the original rules booklet] as they rest of the game
should be arranged. NOTE: With 2 -3 players, the materials are placed in
Temple will not be used. the game area
according to the
The Roman Forum is constructed according to the illustration included in
number of players: For 2 players, only the left the original rules.
(larger) part and the right “end piece” are arranged NOTE: For 2-3 player games,
together, creating a small forum with only 4 pillars. remove the Temple, all Fortuna
Tiles, and the Senate
For each additional player, an interior piece is “S.P.Q.R.” card “IV”!
inserted so that…there are 5 pillars for 3 players, 6
pillars for 4 players, and with 5 players, all 7 pillars The Roman Forum is
are used. constructed according
to the number of
The 30 Fortuna tiles are shuffled with their players in the game
number values face-down and placed near the (creating 4-7 columns)
Temple Building (not used in a 2-3 player game).

The 19 Senate “S.P.Q.R.” cards are shuffled and

placed face-down near the Senate Building. (NOTE:
With 2-3 players, the Senate card marked “IV”
["Many Fortuna Tiles”] should be removed from the
game).

Of the 25 Province cards, randomly select and

place as many cards face-up near the Castrum
Building as there are players in the game. The
remaining Province cards are shuffled and stacked
face-down near the Castrum Building.

Of the 36 Patrician tiles, shuffle and place a

number of tiles face-up under the Forum equal to the
number of columns visible, so depending on the
number of players, there should be 4 to 7 tiles
placed here. The remaining Patrician tiles are
shuffled and left face-down beside the Forum.
The 30 Repeat (“Re-roll”) tokens are placed near
the Latrine. Each player receives
eight dice of their
Each player receives eight dice of their chosen chosen color
color, and places their dice on the table in front of
them.

The youngest player starts, taking the Start

Player Marker.

[English Rules Translation by Kasey Relford, with assistance from Jeffrey

Allers and Jeff Stevens.]
Page 2

GAME PLAY GAME PLAY

The game is played over five (4-5 players) or six (2-3
players) rounds. A round of gameplay normally consists The game lasts five
of several turns [usually three to five] for each player. or six rounds
Each round works the same way: The start player rolls all (depending on # of
his dice. Then, he must place one or more of his dice into players)
one of the five buildings (see “How are dice placed…”
below), where the dice will remain for the rest of the Each round is
round. Then, in clockwise order, all other players will roll played the same
their dice and place at least one die in a building. way:
Continuing in the same order, each player rolls their
remaining dice and places at least one of them in any First, the dice are
building. This continues until a player places his last die rolled and placed
into a building, which triggers the end of the current into the various
round and brings about the evaluation of the five buildings [usually
buildings (see "Why are dice placed..." below). Then, about three to five
the next round follows. After five (or six) rounds, the turns for each
game ends and a winner is determined (see "Game player], after
End" below). which the buildings
are evaluated one
by one
==>How are dice placed in the buildings?

I. Temple (only with 4 or 5 players in the game!)

The gods played a major influence on those living in Ancient Rome.
In the temple, you can pay homage to them, especially the lucky
goddess Fortuna. Players can win Fortuna tiles worth 1-3 Fame
points at the end of the game.
First player: Place
The first player to choose the Temple must place exactly a single die (and
one die (any value) in the building. Then, he takes one of take one Fortuna
the face-down Fortuna tiles, looks at it, and lays it face marker)
down in front of him. The second player to place dice in
the Temple now must place exactly two of his own dice. Second player:
These two dice together must result in a higher sum than Place two arbitrary
the previously placed individual die. That player then dice with higher
takes two Fortuna tiles from the face-down supply, total than the
looking at the tiles and placing them face-down in his previous (and take
play area. As play goes on, a third player places exactly two Fortuna Tiles)
three dice (with a higher sum than the two earlier),
taking three Fortuna tiles, etc. NOTE: A player who Third player: Place
previously placed his own dice in the Temple may, in any three dice
later turns, place more of his own dice. He must then again with a higher
place only as many dice that bring him up to the required total amount (and
number dice in the Temple per the rules of placement. take three Fortuna
But, he gets just as many Fortuna Tiles as dice he has Tiles), etc…
just placed.
Example: Anthony places a 5 in the Temple and takes a Fortuna
marker. Brutus then places two dice (3+6=9 and thus higher than 5)
and takes two Fortuna Tiles. Anthony, on his next turn, would like to
once again place dice in the Temple. Now that three dice are
needed, Anthony adds two more dice to his first (the sum of the
three dice must be higher than 9). Then Anthony takes only two
Fortuna Tiles (as he indeed only placed two more dice).
[English Rules Translation by Kasey Relford, with assistance from Jeffrey
Allers and Jeff Stevens.]
Page 3
II. Senate
The Senate was the heart of Roman politics, where the fate of the
state and its residents was decided. Players with the most influence
here will receive Senate cards, which can be played at the end of the
game for additional Fame points.

In the Senate, a player may place a maximum of six dice Each player may
that represent a consecutive numerical sequence (a place a maximum
"straight"). The placement of a single die is permitted of 6 sequential
(though usually unproductive). If the Senate already numbers (a
contains a sequence of dice from a player, that player "straight").
may, in a later turn during the same round, extend his
“straight” (from either end). He may not start another
sequence of numbers. (There is a maximum of one “straight” Identical
allowed in the Senate per player) “straights” are not
allowed!
NOTE: Identical “straights” are not allowed in the Senate. All
“straights” have to be different at all times (specifically, the
combination of both the number of dice and the possible die values).

Example: Claudius placed a 3, 4, and 5. No other player may now

also have a 3-4-5 “straight”, but a 4-5-6 or a 3-4-5-6 would be
permitted. In a later turn of this same round, Claudius could then
extend his “straight”, for example, with a 2, but of course only if at
that time there is no other 2-3-4-5 “straight” in the Senate.
III. Castrum
Rome without the military? Inconceivable! From the Castrum
(“barracks”), conquests of foreign provinces were prepared and
implemented. At game end, these new provinces are not only worth
up to 4 Fame points… they also offer a necessary home for a
player’s Patricians.

In the Castrum, a player may place as many dice as he Several different

wishes, provided that they all show the same number (a “sets” per player
"set"). Here again, even the placement of a single die as are possible
a “set” is acceptable (also usually unproductive). In later
turns, the player may place additional new “sets” (which
must always be different than his previously placed
“set”), or he may add more dice to one of his previous
“sets”. Identical “sets”
are not allowed!
NOTE: Multiple “sets” of the same die value may be placed (by
different players), but the number of ‘same-value’ dice must always
be different.

Example: Darius rolls 1-2-3-4-4-4-4-5, and chooses three of his four

4s to place in the Castrum. Anthony rolls 1-1-2-2-3-4-4-5 and places
two 4s into the Castrum (although the value coincides with Darius'
dice, not the amount). Later, Darius rolls 4-4-5-5. He could add one
or both of his 4s to his initial “set”, or place a new set of 5s (if there
is no other “set” of two 5s). Darius may not do both on this turn and
he also may not begin a new “set” of 4s! He opts to place the two
5s. Anthony rolls another 4; that he may not place, because he
would tie Darius’ set of three 4s. If he rolled two or more 4s, he could
place them, having more 4s than Darius.
[English Rules Translation by Kasey Relford, with assistance from Jeffrey
Allers and Jeff Stevens.]
Page 4
IV. Roman Forum
(with four to seven columns…depending on the number of players)
The forum brought together the elite Romans, the Patricians, to discuss Place a single
their gods and their world. Here, the player “recruits” Patricians as
die of any value
governors (ideally as a couple) and sends them to their newly conquered
provinces, hoping to earn 1-3 Fame points each. or exactly two
dice totaling 5
In the forum, a player may place (once per turn) either a single in value.
die with any number of pips or exactly two dice which together
total 5 (1 & 4 or 2 & 3). In later turns of the round, a player
may place more dice here, in the same manner just described. Place all the
dice as far left
Dice will always be placed as far left as possible on each as possible in
column’s square pedestal. Dice will be placed to the right of the Forum,
any previously placed dice with a lower pip value (if any) and immediately to
to the left of any previously placed dice with equal or higher the right of any
number of pips, forcing previously placed dice to move to the dice with a
right. lower value
(equal to and
If, during the placement of dice, any dice already in the Forum higher dice
are forced off of the far right side of the Forum, they will be move to the
placed in the Latrine. [see example in original rules] right)

Example: Brutus (brown) places a 2 and a 3 in the Forum Dice forced out
The forum before placement/The forum after placement (Brutus moves so of the Forum
that the green 3 die moves to the Latrine) go to the
Latrine
V. Latrine
The (public) toilet for many Romans was a place of meeting and exchange.
There were also many plans for the future, represented in the game by the Dice are placed
“Re-roll” tokens, used to “reorient” the player’s fate…
here that:
A player who finds himself unable to legally place a die on one
• cannot be
of the other four buildings during his turn (very rarely the case)
legally placed
must place exactly one of his dice onto the Latrine.
on any other
Additionally, any dice that are forced out of the Forum end up
building (very
here, in addition to any dice that are unsuccessful for each
rare)
player during the evaluation (see below) of the 3 previous
buildings.
• are forced out
More general rules, references and clarifications:
from the
-A player is only allowed to place a die/dice in one building each Forum
turn, and this according to the rules of that building. He may not,
for example, place different value “sets” in the Castrum on the • do not score
same turn, or place a single die in the Forum and additionally place for the player
two dice which total 5.
-After rolling his dice, a player must always place at least one die, during
following the placement rules (for example, a single cube in the evaluation of
Senate or the Castrum, etc). However, he is not required to place buildings
all the dice he could place in a turn. Thus, for example, he may (including
place only a single 1 in the Forum, although he also has a 4, or those not
place only a 5-6 in the Senate, although he has rolled 3-4-5-6.
-In the Forum you can only place dice onto the pillars. You cannot, placed at all)
for example, place a 1 on the far left pillar and drop a 4 on the
Latrine (in order to end the round more quickly).
Page 5
==> Why are dice placed in the buildings?
Once a player places his last die onto a building (usually Evaluation of each
after three to five turns), the current turn is completed building:
(ending with the player to the right of the start player).
The round ends, and all players who still have dice in
front of them place their remaining dice on the Latrine.
Then the buildings are evaluated in the following order:

I. Temple (only 4 or 5 players): The player with the most TEMPLE

dice in the Temple keeps two of the Fortuna tiles The player with the
collected this round and leaves them face-up in his play most dice in the
area. All other players may keep only one of their just- temple may keep
collected Fortuna tiles face-up in their play area. Then two of his collected
the players also bring their dice from the Temple back to Fortuna Tiles; all
their play area. The discarded Fortuna tiles should be other players
discarded, face-up near the Temple. Discarded tiles only retain only one.
come back into play [shuffled again, face-down] when
there are no more face-down tiles to draw from. The rest of the
Note: If in one round only a single die was placed in the Tiles are discarded
Temple, that player also receives a second Fortuna and players’ dice
marker. are returned to
them
II. Senate: The player who has the longest/highest-value SENATE
“straight” claims his dice and returns them to his play Player with the
area. Then he takes the top three cards from the face- strongest
down “S.P.Q.R.” stack and chooses one of the cards for “straight” claims
himself. Then he gives the remaining two “S.P.Q.R.” his dice and selects
cards to the player with the longest/highest-value the top three cards
“straight” remaining on the Senate. This player does the from the Senate,
same (removes his dice, chooses an “S.P.Q.R.” card), choosing one to
then places the last “S.P.Q.R.” card face-down under the keep
card stack. In the Senate, only the two best players will
receive a card. Exception: In a 2-player game, only the Second strongest
winner will receive one of three cards; in a 5-player “straight” chooses
game, the 3rd longest/highest-value “straight” receives from the remaining
the last unclaimed “S.P.Q.R.” card from the 2nd place two cards (3-5
player. players)

All players’ dice left in the Senate are moved to the The third card is
Latrine. placed face-down
under the stack
Ties: If several players placed the same number of dice (except with 5
into the Senate, decide the highest value “straight” players); remaining
(Example: 5-4-3-2 is stronger than 4-3-2-1, 6-5-4 is dice go to the
stronger than 5-4-3). Latrine

Notes:
-The Senate “S.P.Q.R.” cards are more fully explained on a separate
sheet.
-If only one player places dice [or one die] in the Senate, he still
retains only one of the three cards and places the other two cards
face-down under the stack.

[English Rules Translation by Kasey Relford, with assistance from Jeffrey

Allers and Jeff Stevens.]
Page 6

III. Castrum: The player who placed the “set” with the CASTRUM
most dice takes his dice and places them back into his The player with the
own play area. Then he selects one from the available longest “set” first
face-up Provinces and places it face-up in his play area. selects any
Then, the owner of the current “set” with the most dice available Province
(which might also be the same player) proceeds the card, then the
same way (claims his dice and selects from the face-up player with the
Provinces). This goes on until either all Province cards are second longest
selected or all “sets” of dice are claimed. Should any “set”, etc.
unclaimed face-up Province cards remain near the Note: The "free Province"
Castrum, they are removed from the game. (gray province cards with
value 0) can be assigned
any pair of matching color
All players’ dice left in the Castrum are moved to the man/woman Patricians at
Latrine. the end of the game, as a
“joker Province"
Ties: If there are several “sets” with an equal number of Remaining dice are
dice, pip-value will decide the stronger “set” (examples: sent to the Latrine
5-5-5 is better than 3-3-3, 6-6 is better than 5-5).
IV. Roman Forum: The player whose die sits on the Roman Forum
base of the pillar farthest left returns the die to his play The player whose
area. Then he selects any one Patrician tile from the die is farthest left
Forum and places it face-up in his play area. Then, the takes first choice
owner of the second die from the left in the Forum (which of any face-up
might also be the same player) proceeds the same way Patrician tile, then
(claims his die and selects from the face-up Patrician the next die, etc.
tiles). This goes on until all the dice in the forum have Remaining
been removed. Any unclaimed Patrician Tiles left face-up Patricians are
below the Forum are removed from the game. removed from the
game.
V. Latrine: Each player brings all of his dice back to his LATRINE
own supply and receives one Repeat “Re-roll” token for For each die on the
each die on the Latrine. Latrine, earn a
Repeat “Re-roll”
The Repeat tokens, in subsequent turns, are used as token
follows:
After rolling his dice, a player may return one of his
Repeat tokens to the space by the Latrine and re-roll any
number of dice. A player may use any number of these
chips per turn and is not limited to which dice he chooses
to re-roll. At the end of the game, each pair of unused
Repeat “Re-roll” tokens left in a player’s stock is worth a
Fame point.

The next round…

For all other
After all five buildings have been evaluated and all dice rounds: Turn over
have been returned to their owners, new Province cards new Province and
(two to five) and Patrician tiles (four to seven) are turned Patrician Tiles
face-up as described under GAME PREPARATION. The (according to the
player immediately to the left of the former start player number of players);
becomes the new start player and takes the Start Player Start Player
Marker. The next round begins... Marker moves to
the left.
[English Rules Translation by Kasey Relford, with assistance from Jeffrey
Allers and Jeff Stevens.]
 Page 7
GAME END GAME END
The game ends after the evaluation of the fifth (for 4-5 After five or six
players) or sixth (for 2-3 players) round. The players now rounds (depending
arrange their various Patrician tiles with their collected on the number of
Province cards to score the most points, taking into players), the game
account any bonuses earned by their “S.P.Q.R.” Senate ends
cards. Adding the value of their Fortuna tiles and Repeat
“Re-roll” tokens, players determine their total number of
Fame points (see below).

The player with the most points is the winner. In the case The winner is the
of a tie, the winner is the tied player who has the most player who
valuable Patricians that were not placed in a Province. If collected the most
this results in the same score, the tied players share the Fame points
victory.
Provinces and Patricians: Patrician tiles:
In each Province, a maximum of two Patricians may be printed value (1-3),
“assigned”; only a man and/or a woman (each with a if properly placed
value of 1-3 Fame points). Both also must have the same (otherwise 0)
color as the province. In this way, a Province card Province cards:
correctly populated by at least one Patrician tile scores printed value (0-4);
the sum of Fame points as indicated on the card and if vacant, minus 1
tile(s). Patrician tiles not assigned to a Province count as point
0 points. Vacant Province cards score one point less than
the value printed on them.
Senate “S.P.Q.R.” cards: Senate maps:
Fame points for these cards are explained in more detail worth different
on an additional summary sheet. amounts of Fame
points (see
summary sheet)
Fortuna tiles: Fortuna tiles:
Worth Fame points as printed on the tiles. value printed
Repeat tiles: Repeat tiles:
Each tile is worth ½ Fame point, two tiles per Fame point. two tiles = 1 point

Example: Anthony earns (at the end of the game) the following Fame points:
[see original rules sheet]
A. four provinces: 3 + 4 + 0 + 0 = 7 points
B. ten patrician: 3 +1 +3 +3 +2 +1 +2 +0 +0 +0 = 15 points
C. four Senate “S.P.Q.R.” cards: 3 + 0 + 5 + 5 = 13 points
D. three Fortuna tiles: 3 + 2 + 1 = 6 points
E. five Repeat tiles: 5 ÷ 2 = 2 points
Total: 43 points

Authors and publishers would like to thank all the playtesters and contributors for their strong
commitment. If you have criticisms, questions or suggestions about this game, please write us or
call us at:
alea • Postfach 1150 • 83233 Bernau • Telephone: 08051 - 970720 • E-mail:
info@aleaspiele.de
© 2009 Ravensburger Games Publisher
[English Rules Translation by Kasey Relford, with assistance from Jeffrey
Allers and Jeff Stevens.]
Page 8