<< Web Picks The Most Famous Ancient Gambling Games in the World
Submitted by Andy_B on Monday, 17 June 2024 Page Views: 7
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It’s probably one of the reasons why slots at various Manitoba casino locations, and other casinos around the world, feature themes of these ancient civilizations. Let’s explore this more and see what kind of gambling was popular thousands of years ago in China, Roman Empire, Greece, and Egypt.
Ancient Chinese Gambling Games
As the most populous country in the world, China is a true marvel of the world today. However, that image also follows it throughout history. It’s one of the long-standing empires that has stood through numerous trials over thousands of years. Like many other ancient civilizations, everyday people enjoyed one of the most entertaining activities in the world, gambling. Over the span of its existence, Chinese gambling game popularity varied. The most popular, in the historical order, were:● Bo
● Horse Racing
● Dog Racing
● Cock fighting
● Dice
● Cricket Fighting
● Cards
The list of popular games is a long one and each of them is special in its own way. Bo is the first game, that was believed to be predecessor to chess. As the game became popular, so did the other similar games, which were all called bo, especially those that people gambled on when playing.
Horse racing and dog racing were other activities that the royals particularly enjoyed. This form of gambling is also popular today.
Cock fighting was a popular form of gambling before cheating became a big problem. It was the cause of many fights between gamblers, and it quickly became illegal.
Cricket fighting was so popular for a couple of hundred years that even the emperor became obsessed with this form of gambling.
Using dice and cards became popular much later, but are today one of the most popular gambling forms in China even today. Over the years, Chinese gamblers used dice and cards to play various games when gambling. Even though you could find plenty of laws forbidding it, the activity remained in the country's culture, and it’s still there today.
Gambling in Ancient Rome
The history books say a lot about the ancient Rome. They depict the glory of the country and the impossible achievements of its emperors, but what they also depict is the everyday life of the average citizen. According to the professor of archeology at the University of Rome, the average Roman took every possible chance to have a go at gambling.A pattern appears everywhere in almost all the discovered ruins of the Great Empire. Gaming tables are in baths, the Colosseum, barracks, and practically any open public space. That means that gambling was a huge part of everyday life for millions of Romans. Dice were the most popular form of gambling, but as one might imagine, betting on chariot races was also popular. That form of betting is the precursor to modern horse racing, which remains one of the most popular gambling activities in the world.
It’s almost safe to assume that betting on fights was also popular. Given that tens of thousands of people would attend fights, there were probably some who would bet on their favorite gladiators.
Gambling in Ancient Greece
The Cradle of Democracy is also the cradle for some of the most popular old gambling games involving animal knuckles. According to Greek Reporter, “Aphrodite’s Throw” is among the most popular ancient gambling games in Ancient Greece. As you can imagine, a knuckle has four sides and each would be assigned a particular number going from 1 to 4.
The players would throw knuckles in the hope of landing each of them in a different way. That would result in the highest score, which was called “Aphrodite’s Throw.” Does this sound familiar? Yes, the knuckles are the precursor to dice used today. There are various knuckle-throwing games in existence even today in various parts of the world. It’s a clear indicator of how much influence the Greek civilization had on the world.Archeologists have also found numerous dice figures used for various board games played by Greeks.
Even if you take a look at various myths and ancient Greek stories, deities from Olympia used to throw dice all the time and participate in gambling. If Gods were doing it, Greeks would follow and participate in gambling on a daily basis.
Gambling in Ancient Egypt
Another important civilization is Ancient Egypt. Egyptians are known for their advanced agriculture, architecture, and medicine. As such, they also had advanced methods of entertaining themselves. Gambling was among the most popular activities that Egyptians practiced on a daily basis.Archeologists' discoveries show clear signs that games involving dice were extremely popular. However, the most intriguing part is the laws written on papyrus 4000 BC. They clearly state laws related to ancient gambling games, meaning that it must have gotten out of hand that it had to be regulated legally. That’s not a surprise, as all countries today have strict regulations around this entertainment form.
More archeological discoveries point to elephant tusk dice and a board game that shares a lot of similarities with checkers.
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