The ancients also worried about the risks of gambling. But even Roman emperors played dice
Authorities in Greek and Roman times tried hard to put limits on gambling. They weren’t particularly successful.
Gambling has a long history, with both ancient Greeks and Romans enthusiastically participating in the activity. Roman emperors, such as Augustus and Claudius, were known to play dice, with Augustus even admitting to losing a significant amount of money while playing. The excitement of gambling and the fear of excessive indulgence were shared across ancient cultures.
However, attempts to regulate gambling varied. The Greeks did not have legal restrictions, but excessive gambling was still seen as undignified, particularly for rulers. The Romans, on the other hand, implemented legal measures, such as the leges Titia, Publicia and Cornelia, which restricted gambling for money. These laws were enforced by officials like the aedile during events like the Saturnalia, when gambling was allowed.
Even with these restrictions, people continued to gamble, and religious authorities later attempted to further discourage the practice by excluding gamblers from communion. Despite these efforts, the allure of gambling remained, as people attempted to turn their luck in hopes of changing their fortunes.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
