Three pebbles on a wheel. The Roman answer to tic-tac-toe — scratched into forum pavements across the empire — but with one twist that changes everything: when all pieces are placed, they keep moving.
⬤ Roma (AI)
0
You
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0
Roma
⬤ Miles (You)
Place a piece on any empty node. Placement
— Terni Lapilli loaded. You are Miles (light stone). Roma (AI) plays dark. Click any node to place. —
How to Play
You are Miles (a Roman soldier, light stones). Roma (AI) plays dark.
Phase 1 — Placement: Take turns placing one piece at a time on any empty node (9 nodes total: 8 on the outer ring + 1 centre). You place 3, Roma places 3.
Phase 2 — Sliding: Once all 6 pieces are down, each turn slide one piece to an adjacent connected empty node (along spokes or the ring). No jumping.
Win: Get your 3 pieces in a row — three in a line through the centre, or three consecutive on the outer ring.
No ties: Unlike tic-tac-toe, the sliding phase means play continues until someone wins.
Historical Note
Boards for this game survive in enormous numbers scratched into Roman pavements — forum floors, barrack steps, temple precincts. The example that inspired the Getty's printed version was carved into the forum pavement at Leptis Magna, Libya. The Latin name Terni Lapilli means "three pebbles"; Rota (wheel) is a modern convenience name from the circular board.
A rectangular variant — closer to tic-tac-toe — also survives. The circular form is more interesting: the ring of 8 nodes plus a centre hub creates a topology where no draw is possible once the sliding phase begins, since pieces can always keep rotating. Roman soldiers scratched it into whatever flat stone was at hand.