Annals of Rome

Lore & Background

Annals of Rome was developed and published by Personal Software Services, first appearing in the United Kingdom in 1986 for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Atari ST. It later saw German releases for the Commodore 64 in 1987 and the Amiga in 1988. The game's objective is to survive as long as possible against rebelling European states within the Late Roman Empire.

Gameplay is presented in two windows. The first window handles troop movement, allowing the player to place forces within the Roman state or attack computer opponents. This window displays the number of forces for all players, inflation, popularity, national score of the Roman state, and the human player's score. The player then sets the tax rate between 1.0 and 2.0 percent, with higher taxes causing higher inflation. The second window presents 21 Senate members, each listed with numbers indicating their military ability, loyalty, and age. The player assigns command of Roman armies to these senators. If the government's popularity falls below 2 (on a scale from -5 to +5), armies with disloyal commanders may revolt and attempt to take Rome. A successful rebel before 50 BC becomes dictator; after that date, he becomes emperor, leading to a dynasty.

Reception was mixed. Despite poor graphics and interface even for 1986, Crash magazine gave the game an 85% rating in 1987. Popular Computing Weekly called it a "perfect choice if you take your strategy games seriously" in November 1986. Computer Gaming World noted innovative mechanics such as variable turn length, but felt the game was unfinished and unpolished, citing a lack of victory conditions and a poor save mechanism. In 1990 the magazine gave it three-plus out of five stars, stating that despite poor graphics and an incomplete nature, "it succeeds on many levels," especially in the superior 16-bit versions. By 1993 the magazine gave it two-plus stars. Orson Scott Card wrote in Compute! that the programmers did an excellent job of recreating Roman history, but that sales would suffer because it "looks like it was programmed in the Bronze Age."

Reader's Guide

Annals of Rome is notable for its ambitious simulation of Late Roman Empire politics and military management, despite technical limitations. The game's two-window interface, combining troop movement with Senate command assignments, was considered innovative for its time. The variable turn length mechanic received positive attention from Computer Gaming World, though the same review noted the game felt unfinished due to the absence of explicit victory conditions and a flawed save system. The game's popularity led to conversions across all major computer platforms of its day, including the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, PC, and Amiga. Today it is regarded as a forgotten classic. Critical reception was divided: while some praised its strategic depth and historical recreation, others criticized its dated graphics and unpolished execution. The 16-bit versions were considered superior. The game's legacy lies in its attempt to blend historical simulation with turn-based strategy, offering a unique challenge of survival against internal rebellion and external threats, even if its presentation and completeness fell short of contemporary standards.

Did You Know?

• The game was first released in the United Kingdom for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Atari ST in 1986.
• If a rebel takes Rome before 50 BC, the successful rebel is declared dictator; after that date, he becomes emperor and starts a dynasty.