Rota: A roman Three In a Row game.

Rota: A Classic Game of Ancient Rome

The ancient Roman game of Rota is easy to learn, quick to play. It makes a great kid's game that teaches planning ahead and the points of the compass.

We don't actually know the Roman name for it, but scholars call it Rota, Latin for "wheel." Rota boards were painted, scratched or scribbled everywhere that Romans went. It probably kept a lot of bored Roman soldiers busy.

Scholars guess that Rota is a three-in-a-row game like tic-tac-toe. They have reconstruted the rules based on medieval games that look a lot like it. Just like tic-tac-toe? Not so fast! Rota can never end in a tie.

How to Play Rota

Set-Up For a Game of Rota (2 players)

1. First, draw a circle. Draw a plus sign in it (+) and then an X.
2. Draw dots at the end of each line and in the middle where they coss.
3. Now you'll need pieces. You can use coins (different coins for each player), buttons, pebbles, or anything you like.
4. Each player gets THREE pieces.

The Rules for the Game of Rota

1. Each turn, players can put one piece on the board in any open spot.
2. After all three pieces are on the board, a player must move one piece each turn.
3. A piece may move along any line or curving edge of the circle to the next empty spot.
4. A piece may not jump other pieces nor move more than one spot.
5. The first person to get three in a row wins.*

*(I say, around the edge of the circle should count; others restrict the three-in-a-row to a diameter -- a straight line. Decide before you start playing, since we don't have an ancient Roman around to ask!)

TIP TO PARENTS: You may want to label your Rota gameboard with the points of the compass, or have kids say words like "North" or "Southwest!" when placing a piece. (This isn't a Roman way of playing it, mind you; it's my own "spin" on the game.)