Gambling and Cheating in Ancient Rome The focus of this article will be primarily on gambling rather then cheating. Gambling was very popular in Ancient Rome. The evidence showing this, can be found in several historical areas around Rome, like the Basilica Julia, the corridor of the Coliseum and in the Temple of the Twelve Gods, where gambling tables were often found scratched into stone or marble (Lanciani, 97). Some hundred gambling tables have already been found in Rome, along with six different unique games, each with their own twist to it (Lanciani, 99). The most popular game however, was “nuts” a game played by many children and elderly people (Lanciani, 100). There were several ways to play this game (Lanciani, 101). The first way …show more content…
The goal of this game was to throw a fifth nut from a certain distance and try and knock down the structure (Lanciani, 101). The second way to play nuts consisted of drawing a triangle with chalk then dividing up the triangle into different compartments (Lanciani, 101). Each player threw the nuts, and depending on which compartment they landed in, different points were awarded (Lanciani, 101). As a result of this game becoming increasingly popular, laws were pass considering this game a “punishable offense” to gamblers who were caught playing (Lanciani, 100). The importance of this game is also evident in some of the art found from this period of time. In 1878, a statue of a young boy was found in a cemetery near S. Lorenzo, playing nuts (Lanciani, 100). Another piece of art was found, this time an epitaph that had been found buried describing the life of a gambler who played nuts in the garden of Cavaliere Bertone, seven years after the discovery of the statue (Lanciani, 100). The game was also depicted in several bas-reliefs, found near Ostia, made by Melchiorri (Lanciani, 101). All in all, it is evident that gambling was very popular in Ancient Rome. The popularity of gambling, specifically the game of “nuts” had an influential role