Ancient Rome RPG

Maximum power → beginning of career

• Dictator (absolute power, emergency, up to 6 months)

• Consul (2 per year, Head of State/Army, maximum regular)

• Censor (2, elected every 5 years, controls census, Senate and morals)

Praetor (justice, substitute for consul, military commander)

Tribune of the Plebs (10, right of veto, defends the people)

• Curule Aedile / Plebeian Aedile (public works, markets, games)

• Cuestor (finance, treasury, official start of career)

• Vigintisexviro (26 minor positions, courts, roads, currency)

Livia, Marcia, Flavia, Tullia, Claudia, Cornelia, Aelia, Antonia, Julia, Valeria, Octavia, Domitia, Fabia, Licinia, Vibia, Aurelia, Cassia, Servilia, Caecilia, Plautia, Terentia, Hortensia, Sulpicia, Verginia, Calpurnia

🩸 The Pit The Pit is not an official place, nor is it recognized by Roman law or honor. It exists on the fringes of the civilized world—hidden underground, far from the eyes of power and distant from the glory of arenas like the Colosseum. It's an abyss carved in the darkness... where men cease to be men. ⚔️ Nature of the Pit The moat can take many forms, but it always shares the same essence: Deep cavities in the ground or abandoned mines Forgotten basements beneath bustling cities Ancient ruins outside the city walls Underground structures similar to the hypogeum of large arenas. There is no noble architecture — only raw stone, rotten wood, and rusty iron. 🗡️ The Fights In the Pit, there are no rules. There are no referees, no mercy. Fights to the death are common. Any weapon is allowed — or none. There is no honor, only survival. The fight only ends when one body stops moving. Here, fighting is not a spectacle. It's a necessity. 🧍‍♂️ The Fighters Those who descend into the Pit rarely do so by choice: Runaway slaves trying to buy another day of life. Rejected or dishonored gladiators Criminals left to their own devices. Free men consumed by despair Every fight is a trial without a judge — only pain and consequence. 💰 The Spectators The audience at the Pit isn't looking for beauty. They're looking for intensity. Wealthy gamblers thirsty for forbidden thrills Decadent nobles hiding under cloaks and shadows. Merchants, smugglers and criminals Organizers who profit from bloodshed. Gold changes hands while lives are wasted. 🕯️ Atmosphere The Pit is a place that suffocates the senses. Flickering torches illuminate damp walls. The metallic smell of blood fills the air. Screams echo like eternal laments. Chains creak, cages open, bodies are dragged away. In the center... a circle of mottled earth. That's where it all ends. ☠️ Meaning Unlike the official arenas, where there is fame and recognition, the Moat represents the other side of Rome: What is hidden What is denied

9. Salaries / wealth benchmark

One denarius is already "real" money. 100 denarii is already a significant expense. 1,000 denarii is already serious wealth. 10,000+ denarii is already an aristocratic level. aurei = elite money

8. Land, houses and properties Here, prices vary widely, so the ideal approach is to use narrative price ranges. Property Suggested price Modest urban house 2,000–10,000 denarii Nice house in Rome 10,000–50,000 denarii Small villa in the countryside 20,000–80,000 denarii Grand aristocratic villa 100,000+ denarii Elite estate with land and servants 250,000+ denarii

7. Luxury, jewels and nobility This part is more like Valeria. Item Suggested price Fine gold jewelry 50–500 denarii Necklace / elegant piece 300–2,000 denarii Refined aristocratic attire 100–800 denarii Rare fabrics / elite embroidery 500–5,000+ denarii Imported perfumes 20–200 denarii

6. Gladiators of Ludus Item Suggested price Buy 1 raw/poorly trained gladiator 1,500–4,000 denarii Gladiator already trained 4,000–10,000 denarii Arena Champion 15,000–50,000+ denarii Monthly training/maintenance of 1 gladiator 30–120 denarii Quality arena equipment 80–300 denarii Doctor, food, oil, repairs (monthly) 20–80 denarii

5. Slaves This is one of the most useful parts of your universe. Type Suggested price Common labor slave 400–1,000 denarii Slave / domestic servant 800–2,000 denarii Trained slave (scribe, useful servant) 2,000–6,000 denarii Greek tutor / accountant / highly educated 5,000–20,000+ denarii Promising gladiator 2,000–10,000+ denarii Champion gladiator / very rare 15,000+ denarii

4. Horses, animals and transport Item Suggested price Common riding horse 300–1,000 denarii Good military horse 1,000–3,000 denarii Elite/racing/status horse 5,000+ denarii Mule / pack animal 150–600 denarii Simple cart 100–300 denarii

3. Military equipment / arena Here I recommend not using super precise "piece-by-piece" prices, because that's much less documented than food and wages. It's best to work with plausible ranges. Item Suggested price Gladius 20–60 denarii Pugio 8–20 denarii Scutum 20–50 denarii Galea 20–60 denarii Lorica Segmentata / good armor 100–300 denarii Respectable complete military kit 200–500 denarii

2. Things a free man/citizen with some money would do. Item Suggested price Good tunic 10–25 denarii Decent cloak 15–40 denarii Elegant sandals 5–15 denarii Simple silver ring 10–40 denarii Writing / documents / scribe 5–30 denarii Small monthly urban rent 15–60 denarii

1. Food and common expenses Item Suggested price Plain bread 1–2 aces Typical meal in a tavern 2–6 asses Regular wine (small jug) 1–4 aces Public bath 1 quadrans a 1 as Small olive oil 2–8 aces Simple sandals 1–3 denarii Common tunic 5–15 denarii

Small things: simple food common wine small favors → asses / sesterces Respectable things: men's payment decent gifts smaller agreements → denarii Elite things: jewelry lands expensive political favors buying silence luxury at Casa Severus → aurei

Quick table Coin Metal Value Aureus Gold 25 denarii Denarius Silver 4 sesterces / 16 asses Sestertius Bronze/brass 1/4 of a denarius = 4 asses To the Bronze/copper smaller base

Memory: Ancient Rome

Rome, the Eternal City, pulsates with life and power in every stone of its streets. At once glorious and cruel, its squares, temples, and markets are stages of politics, commerce, faith, and violence. Senators plot in the porticos, patricians flaunt their wealth and influence, while plebeians seek only survival.

The Colosseum echoes with the roar of the crowds, where gladiators fight for blood and glory. In the temples, priests and vestals keep watch over the gods, and the Tiber carries goods and secrets from distant provinces.

Between wealth and poverty, honor and betrayal, Rome is a heart that beats with ambition, danger, and grandeur. Everything here can be conquered—or lost—and every step in the city holds stories of glory and conspiracy.