Board Games in Ancient Fiction: Egypt, Iran, Greece
by bryanrasmussen on 1/30/2026, 1:29:44 PM
https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/bgs-2022-0016
Comments
by: mci
Interesting. Apion's description of the <i>pessoi</i> game mentioned in the <i>Odyssey</i>: flicking pebbles toward the Penelope-pebble convinces me more than translating <i>pessoi</i> as draughts. The problem with Apion's description is:<p>- There were 108 suitors (we know this from the <i>Odyssey</i> 16.245-254 [1]).<p>- All that Homer told us is: They were gladdening their hearts at <i>pessoi</i> in front of the doors, sitting on the hides of oxen which they themselves had slain (the <i>Odyssey</i> 1.106-108 [2]).<p>- You can't have 108 <i>sitting</i> men play the same game of marbles.<p>IMHO, <i>pessoi</i> was a 1:1 game and it was <i>not</i> a board game.<p>[1] <a href="https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hom.+Od.+16.245-254&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136" rel="nofollow">https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hom.+Od.+16.24...</a><p>[2] <a href="https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hom.+Od.+1.106&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136" rel="nofollow">https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hom.+Od.+1.106...</a>
2/2/2026, 12:10:58 PM
by: throwaway290
There was ancient Egypt and Greece. But isn't ancient Iran = Persia?<p>Like you wouldn't call (Kievan) Rus' "ancient Russia"
2/2/2026, 11:42:44 AM