I'm running a Roman campaign right now. It's set during the republic period just before the Third Samnite War. I made the Etruscans ruled by Evil Vampire Lords who are about to swallow Rome and usher in an era of demonic darkness. The PCs are the remnants of a defeated Latin army, going on a quest to wake a dragon (they don't know that last part). So, they are currently traveling to Delphi in order to discover some of their fate.

It's not closely historical, but it's fun so far.  We're using Castles and Crusades.

Quote from: AsenRG;1014758Zenobia, 43 AD, Mercator and Mythic Rome for Mythras are enough for me:).
Though looking at this list, I detect a definite Paul Elliott vibe;).

He also wrote Warlords of Alexander, which is perfect for the Hellenistic era.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1014650Have you ever run a game set in the Roman Empire or a fantasy equivalent?

I playtested Phillip McGregor's (never published) Roman version of Chivalry & Sorcery (SPQR - Pax Romana) back in 1983-1984. My players enjoyed the campaign but not being huge C&S fans (with one exception), they were not huge fans of the rules. That probably helped with playtesting as they probably found more rules issues that way than if they had been real C&S fans. I still have the three books of dot-matrix printed rules and occasionally think of running another campaign of it, but I just don't have the time to due that complex of rules justice any more.

I don't know if I'd ever run a Roman Empire game unless it was something like Asterix.

I would actually argue that most D&D games are more or less Roman fantasy. Higher tech level. But you have the polytheistic churches, you have frontier walled towns beset by barbarians (albeit orcs and monsters, not Germans/French/Picts/Parthians/etc), roadways with inns, people who actually own farms and aren't serfs. But much more freedom than you'd have in a medieval setting where everyone is basically a slave tied to the land or oppressed by the Church.

But ACKS in particular, at least the module I have of theirs, The Sinister Stone of Sakkara is more explicitly so.  It's basically Keep on the Borderlands where the Keep is a Roman style fort in a Mesopotamian region. It's still mostly D&D critters, but it feels very Roman and the dungeon itself looks very much like a real world temple complex. (Really nice module, only drawback it is uses ACKS which I am not a fan of)

Quote from: JeremyR;1014863But much more freedom than you'd have in a medieval setting where everyone is basically a slave tied to the land or oppressed by the Church.

You think that the Roman Empire was some egalitarian state without slaves or rigid social classes?

Quote from: Kiero;1014842He also wrote Warlords of Alexander, which is perfect for the Hellenistic era.

I know, but that's off topic in a Roman thread, IMO:).

Quote from: AsenRG;1014976I know, but that's off topic in a Roman thread, IMO:).

Depends on Roman-when. The Hellenistic era bleeds into the Roman era some time in the 2nd century BC when the Romans start interfering in Greece and Anatolia after the Second Punic War.

Quote from: Kiero;1014977Depends on Roman-when. The Hellenistic era bleeds into the Roman era some time in the 2nd century BC when the Romans start interfering in Greece and Anatolia after the Second Punic War.

By that line of thought, you may as well justify discussing The Celestial Empire;). Because of the Ghost Legion and Li Jian.

I had one campaign, will have to look up my old documents on it to be able to tell what it was about. I remember I put a lot of work into it but one of the players messed it up.

If one was to make a "Roman Era D&D 5e", what kind of changes would one make to the rules? No heavy armor? What weapons would be in vogue for the era and what wouldn't make sense? Probably need lots of shields.

Quote from: mAcular Chaotic;1015098If one was to make a "Roman Era D&D 5e", what kind of changes would one make to the rules? No heavy armor? What weapons would be in vogue for the era and what wouldn't make sense? Probably need lots of shields.

Wouldn't some Hellenic, Samnite, and Roman armor still be considered heavy armor, or would it be medium?

Quote from: TrippyHippy;1014883You think that the Roman Empire was some egalitarian state without slaves or rigid social classes?

Pagan Rome had slavery and rigid social classes, but it was nowhere near as rigid and oppressive as Christian Medieval Europe. The fact that the Roman Empire was more urbanized and cosmopolitan than the largely rural society of Medieval Europe alone guaranteed somewhat more social equality and mobility. Not to mention, a Roman setting would be more conducive to adventuring and travel due to improved infrastructure compared to Early Medieval and High Medieval Europe.

Plus religion and culture played a big role as well. Christianity at that time (especially Medieval Catholicism) was a lot more strict, hierarchical, and generally more socially repressive than Greco-Roman Paganism historically was.

Doc Sammy, I am enjoying the new avatar. Give my regards to Aunt Bee.

Quote from: joriandrake;1015104Wouldn't some Hellenic, Samnite, and Roman armor still be considered heavy armor, or would it be medium?

I am not sure. I assumed the armor got better in the middle ages with a knight's full plate.