LĂTRUNCŬLI

( πεσσοί , ψήφοι ), draughts. The invention of a game resembling draughts was attributed by the Greeks to Palamedes; and it is mentioned by Homer. There were two sets of men, one set being black, the other white or red. Being intended to represent a miniature combat between two armies, they were called soldiers ( milites ), foes ( hostes ), and marauders ( latrones , dim. latrunculi ); also calculi , because stones were often employed for the purpose. The Romans often had twelve lines on the draught-board, whence the game so played was called duodecim script a .