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THE IDES OF MARCH

Beware the Ides of March: Rome, 44 BCE

by Carl A. Anderson, T. Keith Dix, and Naomi Norman

Portions of this page are still under construction, pending more details from the Game Authors. Reacting Consortium Members can download game materials below.

This game begins the day after Julius Caesar’s assassination, and most of the action takes place in the Senate. Students are assigned roles as members of two principal factions, "Republicans" and "Caesarians" (the larger faction in the game, since Caesar had "packed" the Senate), or as non-partisan, or at least uncommitted, members of the Senate. Probable debates in the Senate fall under four general headings: public order, Caesar's powers, foreign policy, and government. Some specific issues are whether Caesar should be honored with a public funeral or his body cast into the Tiber; whether to accept the legitimacy of Caesar's acta; whether to regard the assassins as liberators or murderers; whether new elections should be held; and whether the Parthian campaign should go forward and under whose leadership. Students base their game personalities and their arguments in the Senate on excerpts from Cicero's letters, orations and political writings, in particular De re publica, as well as other ancient sources. By grappling with the complex issues of Roman power politics at a moment of crisis, students gain perspective on the dynamics of late Republican Roman history and can evaluate Rome's subsequent evolution.

This is a Level 3 game that is still under development but has been approved by the Reacting Editorial Board (REB) for general use. A detailed explanation of the editorial process and game levels can be found on our REB Page.

ABOUT THE GAME

Details

Disciplines
Ancient History, European History


Era 
BCE; Ancient History


In a Few Words


Geography 
Europe

Themes and Issues  


Player Interactions 


Sample Class Titles

"History of Ancient Rome;" "Honors Latin;" "Roman Oratory in Theory and Practice"

Level
Level 3 game (what's that mean?

Mechanics 


Chaos and Demand on Instructor 


Primary Source Highlights
 



Using the Game

Class Size and Scalability 
This game is recommended for classes with 12-24 students.


Possible Reacting Game Pairings
This game can be used on its own, or with other games. These pairings are meant to be illustrative rather than exhaustive or prescriptive. The Ides of March may pair well with:



GAME MATERIALS

Reacting Consortium members can download all game materials below. You will be asked to sign in before downloading.  

Please Fill out the Permissions Request Form Before Using The Ides of March in Your Class!

Gamebook

All students need a Gamebook, which includes resources and historical content. Members can download the Gamebook, and provide it to students for free or at cost.

VERSION 1.0. Updated August 2011

Instructor's Manual

The Instructor's Manual includes guidance for assigning roles, presenting historical context, assignments, activities and discussion topics, and more.

Role Sheets


Students also need a Role Sheet, which contains biographical information, suggestions for further reading, and role-specific info or assignments.  

Additional Resources 

Resources for Introduction and/or Debrief

 


ABOUT THE AUTHORS 

Carl A. Anderson

Carl A. Anderson

Reacting and Related Titles


T. Keith Dix

T. Keith Dix

Reacting and Related Titles


Naomi Norman

Naomi Norman

Reacting and Related Titles

  • The Threshold of Democracy: Athens in 403 BCE

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QUESTIONS

Members can contact game authors directly

We invite instructors join our Facebook Faculty Lounge, where you'll find a wonderful community eager to help and answer questions. We also encourage you to submit your question for the forthcoming FAQ, and to check out our upcoming events


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