GAME TOKENS
Game tokens/counters used by soldiers or civilians
White Platts is a recreation ground in Ambleside today
Game tokens/counters used by soldiers or civilians
A common thread in both the Roman and contemporary world is the struggle to stave off boredom. Today we live in a time of unprecedented ability to stay up-to-date with the advent of the digital age and the invention of the internet, where entertainment is at the touch of our fingers. However, for the Romans, recreation could be more of a struggle!
​
Even so, the Roman ways of entertaining themselves weren’t that different from what we think of today. They would have watched and played sports, drank, and most importantly played games with one another. Small stone game counters have been found at Ambleside fort. This may indicate that board games were a pastime for the soldiers stationed there.
​​​There are several known examples of Roman board games. These games were played by people across the social strata and required a shared understanding of rules and strategy. They were introduced to Britain with the Roman conquest. Game counters are common finds at sites across Roman Britain, and some of the game boards have also been found. One example of a Roman board game is nine-men's Morris. This is a game still played today: it has a clear continuity over the last 2000 years and is akin to what we think of today as checkers.
​
Turn right along Rothay Road and continue walking along the pavement with the Recreation Ground to the right, and you will reach Fresher’s Café, which has lots of outdoor seating. This is our next trail stop point. The walking time is approximately two minutes.