# The Republic of Rome

The Republic of Rome is a board game for 1–6 players. It plays in 300 minutes and is meant for ages 14 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 5. It is rated 7.8 out of 10 by 27 Ludoya reviewers.

- **Players:** 1–6 (best with 5)
- **Playing time:** 300 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 14+
- **Complexity:** 4.4 out of 5
- **Year published:** 1990
- **Categories:** Political, Negotiation, Wargame, Ancient
- **Mechanics:** Hand Management, Ownership, Auction: Once Around, Dice Rolling, Events, Simulation, Solo / Solitaire Game, Income, Voting, Semi-Cooperative Game, Bribery, Negotiation, Critical Hits and Failures
- **Ludoya rating:** 7.8 out of 10, from 27 reviews
- **Owned by:** 44 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 57
- **Unique players:** 92

**Designers:** Richard Berthold, Robert Haines, Don Greenwood

**Artists:** Mark Poole, Dave Dobyski, Kurt Miller, George I. Parrish, Jr., Patrick Turner, Charles Kibler

**Publishers:** Valley Games, Inc., The Avalon Hill Game Co

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## Rules questions

### How does a Persuasion (bribe/counter-bribe) attempt work—can I spend my faction treasury to stop someone and who gets the money?

The persuader may spend Talents from his Personal Treasury to raise the Base Number and then rolls vs. 2d6; all other players may irrevocably spend Talents from their Faction Treasuries to subtract from the Base Number as counter-bribes. All Talents spent (bribes and counter-bribes) are placed into the target Senator’s Personal Treasury after the Attempt regardless of success or failure (see p.9, 1.07.412–1.07.414).

### If one of my senators dies, what happens to his markers, concessions and my faction—am I eliminated?

When a Senator dies all markers except a Faction Leader marker are removed, his Concessions return to the Curia and his Province (if governor) goes to the Forum; Family (black-text) cards without a Faction Leader go to Repopulating Rome (p.5, 1.05.3). A faction is only eliminated if it has no Senators left as a result of a failed Assassination; otherwise the player may draw the top Senator from the Curia to replace his leader or wait for the next Curia entry (p.5, 1.05.4).

### What's the difference between Personal Revenue, Provincial Spoils and the Faction Treasury, and when can money be moved between them?

Personal Revenue is income each Senator generates (base income plus Knights, Concessions and optional Provincial Spoils); Provincial Spoils are optional die-roll results collected by Governors (p.5, 1.06.1–1.06.13). During Redistribution (end of the Revenue Phase) players may freely move Talents between Personal Treasuries and their own Faction Treasury (except Rebels cannot transfer to non-Rebels) and may give Talents to other players (p.5, 1.06.3).

### When does a Governor return to Rome and does a returning Corrupt Governor keep his Corrupt marker?

At the end of the Revenue Phase the term dial of non‑Rebel Governors is advanced and when it moves off “1” the Governor returns to Rome and the Province card goes back to the Forum; returning Corrupt Governors keep their Corrupt marker (p.6, 1.06.6).

### How do prosecutions work and what are the consequences of a Minor vs. Major Prosecution?

The Censor may conduct up to two Minor or one Major Prosecution per turn; voting is for conviction and the Accused gains additional votes equal to his Influence, with Popular Appeal possible (p.12, 1.09.41–1.09.42). A successful Minor Prosecution strips 5 Popularity, 5 Influence, any Prior Consul and returns Concessions to the Forum; a successful Major Prosecution results in execution (p.13, 1.09.43–1.09.44).

### What immediate game states cause everyone to lose—what must we avoid to keep Rome alive?

The game ends in defeat for all players if at the end of a Combat Phase there are four or more Active Wars, if the People Revolt with no Rebel in play, or if the State Treasury goes bankrupt with no Rebel in play (p.2 and p.19, 1.12.3).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/the-republic-of-rome)
- [The Republic of Rome in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/the-republic-of-rome)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1513)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-24. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._