Dice!

Dice have been tossed on this earth for more than 2,000 years, manifesting into all kinds of games along their journey. One common theory regarding the history of dice is that they were probably originally made from the ankle bones of hoofed animals. Even today, dice are sometimes referred to as “bones”.

The Romans were passionate gamblers, especially in the luxurious days of the Roman Empire, and dicing was a favorite form, though it was forbidden except during the Saturnalia.

Throwing dice for money was the cause of many special laws in Rome. One of these stated that no suit could be brought by a person who allowed gambling in his house, even if he had been cheated or assaulted.

Centuries later, during the Middle Ages, dicing became the favorite pastime of the knights, and both dicing schools and guilds of dicers existed. In the 14th Century Henry VIII is known to have been an avid gambler and dice player. However when he discovered that that his soldiers were spending more time gambling than working on drills and marksmanship we see some of the first findings of gambling becoming outlawed.