- BGG rank
- BGG #26,851
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Glory Road: The First Battle of Bull Run
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 1986
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,519
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD
1994
Rules assistance for Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 240 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.8/5
Rules assistant for Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD is a board game released in 1994 for 1–2 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Keith Poulter and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,776
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Clash of Steel
- 2 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 1984
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,773
- BGG rating
- 5.3
Raid on Richmond
- 2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 1991
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,023
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Crimean Shield
- 1–2 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 1994
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,775
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Napoleon's Later Battles I
- 1–2 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1992
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,674
- BGG rating
- 7.1
The Great Battles of Alexander
- 1–2 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 1991
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,436
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Imperium Romanum
- 1–6 players
- 60–6000 min
- Complexity 4.1/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,727
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Dawn of Battle
- 2 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,667
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Iliad: The Siege of Troy
- 2 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1978
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,296
- BGG rating
- 7.3
The Russian Campaign
- 2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 1974
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,433
- BGG rating
- 7.6
A Victory Lost: Crisis in Ukraine 1942-1943
- 2 players
- 360 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2006
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,345
- BGG rating
- 8.4
Stalingrad '42: Southern Russia, June-December, 1942
- 2–4 players
- 120–480 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2019
About the game
Barbarians recreates the situation along the Rhine-Danube frontier of the Roman Empire in the years 70 BC to 260 AD. The game has 32 scenarios which can be played solitaire or by 2 players. Some scenarios can be adapted for play by 3 or 4 players. Scenarios range in playing time from 2 to 20 hours. It has an 8 page rulebook and is a straight forward UGO/IGO hex and counter war game. It is very much the unofficial expansion to Caesar's Legions. The rules are 99% similar to Caesar's Legions. Enemies of Rome depicted in the game include Roman Rebels, Germans, Britons, Pannonians, Gauls, Batavii, Sarmations (Roxolanni and Iazyges), Goths, Vandals, Bastarnae and Dacians. In the Designer Notes Keith Poulter acknowledges: "The point of departure for the design was a fine game originally published under the title Eagles, and subsequently by Avalon Hill as Caesar's Legions." In the Designer Notes Keith Poulter asked for feedback on the game as: "Such feedback will be valuable, as we planned multi-scenario expansion kits (7 additional maps in all) covering western and southern Gaul, Spain, and Britain." These expansions were never published. However, a related game (by different designers) using the Caeser's Legions system is Caesar in Gaul.
Designers
Publishers
- KP Games
Questions and answers
Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD supports 1–2 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD is 240 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD has a complexity rating of 2.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD belongs to these categories: Wargame and Ancient. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD are: Keith Poulter. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Barbarians: 70 BC - 260 AD as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.