Rules of Mysterious Ancient Roman Board Game Decoded by AI
Rules of Mysterious Ancient Roman Board Game Decoded by AI
By Jackie Flynn Mogensen
February 10, 2026
Summary
Researchers have used artificial intelligence to help decode the rules of an ancient Roman board game that had remained a mystery for more than a century. Archaeologist Walter Crist and his team studied a limestone game board discovered in Heerlen, Netherlands, and programmed AI agents to simulate thousands of possible gameplay scenarios using over 100 rule sets from historical European games. By comparing the AI-generated movements to wear patterns on the board, the researchers identified nine likely rule variations. The game, named Ludus Coriovalli, is now considered the earliest known example of a European blocking game, offering new insight into entertainment and leisure in ancient Roman society.
Reference
Mogensen, J. F. (2026, February 10). Rules of mysterious ancient Roman board game decoded by AI. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rules-of-mysterious-ancient-roman-board-game-decoded-by-ai/