Cleopatra and the Society of Architects
A board game about building Cleopatra's palace and avoiding crocodiles.
Cleopatra and the Society of Architects is a board game designed by Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc, published in 2006 by Days of Wonder. The game is illustrated by Julien Delval and Cyrille Daujean and involves players competing to become the richest architect who survives the construction of Cleopatra's palace.
- Designers
- Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc
- Publisher
- Days of Wonder
- Year published
- 2006
- Illustrators
- Julien Delval and Cyrille Daujean
- Players
- 3-5
- Play time
- about an hour
Lore & Background
In Cleopatra and the Society of Architects, players take turns collecting resources or building pieces of the temple, thereby earning talents. Certain actions, such as playing special character cards, cause a player to gain corruption tokens. Corruption tokens can be removed by making offerings to the gods, where each player secretly chooses a quantity of talents to offer. The player who offers the most talents loses three corruption tokens, while those who offer fewer receive varying amounts of corruption. At the end of the game, the players with the most corruption tokens are fed to Cleopatra's crocodile, and the surviving architect with the most talents wins.
Reader's Guide
Cleopatra and the Society of Architects is notable for its thematic integration of corruption and risk, where players must balance building wealth against accumulating corruption that can lead to elimination. The game received nominations for the 2006 Golden Geek Best Family Board Game, the 2007 Golden Geek Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation, and the 2007 Golden Geek Best Family Board Game. It was also recommended by the 2006 Spiel der Spiele Hit mit Freunden award. The game's mechanics, including secret offerings to the gods and the threat of being fed to a crocodile, create tension and strategic depth. Its legacy lies in its blend of resource management, hidden information, and player elimination, making it a distinctive entry in the family board game genre.
Did You Know?
- The game was published in 2006 by Days of Wonder.
- Players with the most corruption tokens at the end are fed to Cleopatra's crocodile.
- The game is for 3 to 5 players and takes about an hour to play.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cleopatra and the Society of Architects?
It is a 2006 economic simulation board game published by Days of Wonder in which 3 to 5 players take on the roles of rival architects bidding to build Cleopatra's palace. The game also weaves in the hazard of crocodiles threatening your workers during construction.
What is the main objective in Cleopatra and the Society of Architects?
Each player races to become the wealthiest architect while successfully completing the palace project. Survival is key, since crocodile encounters can wipe out your workforce and derail your finances mid-game.
Who designed and illustrated Cleopatra and the Society of Architects?
Bruno Cathala and Ludovic Maublanc created the game, which was brought to print by Days of Wonder in 2006. The artwork was handled by Julien Delval and Cyrille Daujean.
How long does a game of Cleopatra and the Society of Architects take?
A typical session runs about an hour, making it a relatively quick pick-up-and-play experience for a group of three to five players.
Why do fans consider Cleopatra and the Society of Architects a notable entry in the economic-sim genre?
It pairs straightforward resource-management competition with a distinctive survival twist—the crocodile threat—that keeps the tension high without bloating the rules. Its tight one-hour runtime and accessible 3-to-5-player range made it a popular gateway into economic board games when it launched in 2006.
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