The Remote Origins: Gambling in Antiquity

“While the concept of 'casino' as we know it today didn't emerge until much later, the roots of gambling can be traced back to early civilizations. In ancient Egypt and ancient Rome, games involving luck were popular, and although they were not called “casinos”, these events bore many similarities to modern gambling. Games such as dice were common among the Romans and were used both for entertainment and to determine the fate of soldiers or even for political decisions.

During the Middle Ages, gambling was often linked to festivals and religious events, but it was also a point of controversy. Many governments and religious institutions banned gambling because of concerns about morality and addiction. However, the appeal of gambling hasn't faded, and in various parts of the world, it has continued to thrive in a clandestine manner.”

Now, have you ever imagined the direction of the soldiers being defined by the roll of the dice? Including political decisions? That's crazy.

Mart1194 said:

Now, have you ever imagined the direction of the soldiers being defined by the roll of the dice? Including political decisions? That's crazy.

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Crazy it is. The Romans used to rely on many superstitious rituals to take critical decisions indeed.

One I remember was that a military General always has some kind of counselor with him who would open the chest of a pigeon, and by looking at the guts of the poor bird, he would decide and tell the General if the troupes should move or not .

As to the gambling material in ancient times, you're right about both Romans and Egyptians, and some "old-fashioned" dice have also been found in south Iraq, dating all the way to the Sumerian civilization.

"Dice" have been around since almost the beginning of time.

Knucklebones (Astragali):
The earliest dice-like objects were animal knucklebones, particularly from sheep, which were naturally somewhat rectangular.

.......... arrrghh I'll take things I didn't need to know for $200 Alex🤢

Bro imagine getting sent to the frontlines because your commander literally rolled snake eyes. That is actually wild.
Honestly though, considering the state of modern politics, leaving things up to a dice roll almost feels like it would be an upgrade sometimes lmao. At least then you'd know it was just bad luck.

It sounds crazy, but I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that 500 or 1,000 years ago, people were just as thrill-seeking as they are today, especially those who belonged to the so-called elite.