How to Play

Mare Nostrum: Empires

3-5 players 90-120 min 7.5 Board Game Geek Rating

In Mare Nostrum, 3-5 players control ancient Mediterranean empires competing for dominance. Starting with three provinces, you expand through military conquest, trade development, cultural advancement, or political leadership. Build markets, temples, cities, and wonders while recruiting heroes to aid your cause. Victory comes through multiple paths: military expansion, trade mastery, cultural achievements, or claiming leadership titles in various categories.

Published 2016

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Distribute civilization cards

Each player receives a civilization card/mat they can use to gain benefits or win the game

Prepare tracking markers

Players can use cubes, coins or other markers to note the civics they have purchased

Set starting civics

All players start with no civics

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Purchase civics

Players can buy each civic level with commodities (no duplicates) or coins

Follow civic progression

Players must have the previous level in order to purchase the next level of civics

Purchase governments

Players can purchase any government level without needing the previous level, but cannot hold more than one government at any time

Collect benefits

Players receive benefits from their civics each turn; if not taken during the turn, they are lost

Trade capabilities

Players can trade or negotiate one Level I or II capability with other players each turn in exchange for another Level I or II capability or compensation (commodity, coin, or other tradeable asset or action)

Use Civilization Leader power

The player with the most civics can use any one civic benefit of another player and holds the Civilizations Leader Card

Apply conquest penalties

If a player's capitol is captured, remove its government and the conqueror chooses one of the highest level civics to remove from the vanquished player's civic card