Overview

Mare Nostrum is a civilization-building game set in the ancient Mediterranean. Players lead one of 5 empires (Rome, Carthage, Egypt, Greece, Babylon), competing through trade, military conquest, and cultural achievements. The map consists of provinces and seas. Players must balance economic growth with military expansion, trading resources to build armies, fleets, cities, temples, and heroes to achieve victory.

Components

• 1 game board (Mediterranean map with provinces and sea zones)
• Empire player boards
• Military units (legions, triremes, fortresses)
• Resource tokens (various types)
• Hero and wonder cards
• City, temple, and market tokens
• Trade cards
• Director markers (Trade, Political, Military)
• Dice

Setup

1. Each player chooses 1 of 5 empires, each starting with 3 provinces.
2. Place starting units, cities, and resources as indicated on empire cards.
3. Assign director roles: Trade Director to player with most markets/caravans, Political Director to most cities/temples, Military Director to most legions/triremes.
4. Place resources in provinces.

Turn Structure

Each round has 3 phases:

1. Trade Phase (led by Trade Director)

• The Trade Director decides how many resources each player must offer for trade.
• Players simultaneously select and reveal resources.
• The Trade Director picks first, then other players in order.
• Trade is key to acquiring resources you lack for building.

2. Political Phase (led by Political Director)

• Players simultaneously build improvements using collected resources.
• Build: legions, triremes, fortresses, cities, temples, markets, caravans, heroes, wonders.
• Each improvement costs specific resources (e.g., a legion costs wheat + iron).

3. Military Phase (led by Military Director)

• The Military Director decides turn order for movement and combat.
• Move legions and triremes.
• Resolve combat by rolling dice – each unit contributes combat strength.
• Conquer provinces to gain their resources.

Actions

Building

Improvement	Effect
Legion	Military unit (land combat)
Trireme	Naval unit (sea combat)
Fortress	Defensive structure
City	Increases political influence
Temple	Increases political influence
Market/Caravan	Increases trade influence
Hero	Provides special abilities
Wonder	Alternate victory path

Combat

Each unit rolls dice in combat. Forts provide defense bonuses. Losers retreat; provinces change hands.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

A player wins immediately by achieving any ONE of:

1. Build the Pyramids (collect specific set of resources and build the wonder).
2. Control 4 Heroes/Wonders (any combination of 4 heroes and/or wonders).
3. Build all 3 Directors (hold all three Director positions simultaneously through dominance in trade, politics, and military).

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Director roles rotate based on current board state; building more markets makes you Trade Director, etc.
• Each Director role grants special powers (e.g., Trade Director sets trade terms, Military Director sets combat order).
• The 5 empires are asymmetric, each starting with different resources and advantages.
• Naval control is essential for trade routes and preventing enemy invasions.
• Alliances and diplomacy are informal but important.

Player Reference

Phase	Leader	Action
Trade	Trade Director	Set trade terms, exchange resources
Political	Political Director	Build improvements
Military	Military Director	Move units, resolve combat

Victory: Build Pyramids, OR control 4 Heroes/Wonders, OR hold all 3 Director roles