Alea (Greek soldier)
Encyclopedia
Alea was a Greek soldier who reputedly invented the dicing game Tabula
.
This is the origin of the name aléatoire, meaning random.
The assertion appears dubious however, not least because it is somewhat unlikely that "a Greek soldier" would be named with the Latin word for "chance" (cf. the non-canonical invention of the name Longinus
(which means "lance") for the Roman
soldier who pierced the side of the crucified Christ
.)
French sociologist Roger Caillois
uses the term "alea" to designate those games which rely on luck rather than skill in Man, Play and Games. While Caillois notes the term is the Roman word for games of chance, R. C. Bell suggests that the Roman game Tabula
, a precursor to the modern backgammon, became more commonly known as "alea" "towards the end of the sixth century" (Bell, 1979:35 v. 1). However, games historian Harold Murray asserts the shift in nomenclature was in the other direction and the game "alea" was later referred to as "tabula" (Murray 1952: 31 and 113).
Tabula
Tabula was a board game in the tables family, and is generally thought to be the direct ancestor of modern backgammon.The earliest description of tabula is in an epigram of Byzantine Emperor Zeno , given by Agathias of Myrine , who describes a game in which Zeno goes from a strong position to a...
.
This is the origin of the name aléatoire, meaning random.
The assertion appears dubious however, not least because it is somewhat unlikely that "a Greek soldier" would be named with the Latin word for "chance" (cf. the non-canonical invention of the name Longinus
Longinus
- People :* Gaius Cassius Longinus , usually known as Cassius, one of the assassins of Julius Caesar* Saint Longinus, name ascribed to the Roman soldier who pierced the side of Jesus Christ on the cross...
(which means "lance") for the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
soldier who pierced the side of the crucified Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
.)
French sociologist Roger Caillois
Roger Caillois
Roger Caillois was a French intellectual whose idiosyncratic work brought together literary criticism, sociology, and philosophy by focusing on subjects as diverse as games, play and the sacred...
uses the term "alea" to designate those games which rely on luck rather than skill in Man, Play and Games. While Caillois notes the term is the Roman word for games of chance, R. C. Bell suggests that the Roman game Tabula
Tabula
Tabula was a board game in the tables family, and is generally thought to be the direct ancestor of modern backgammon.The earliest description of tabula is in an epigram of Byzantine Emperor Zeno , given by Agathias of Myrine , who describes a game in which Zeno goes from a strong position to a...
, a precursor to the modern backgammon, became more commonly known as "alea" "towards the end of the sixth century" (Bell, 1979:35 v. 1). However, games historian Harold Murray asserts the shift in nomenclature was in the other direction and the game "alea" was later referred to as "tabula" (Murray 1952: 31 and 113).