Rolling the dice in aelia capitolina: On the discovery of gaming pieces beneath wilson's arch and their function within a theatre-like structure

Recent excavations exposed a theatre-like structure in Jerusalem, at the foot of the Temple Mount. This structure was built after the destruction of the temple by the Roman soldiers and residents who settled in the city, which eventually became the Roman colony of Aelia Capitolina. Inside the theatre-like structure a large assemblage of gaming and gambling pieces was discovered, particularly gaming dice. The unique concentration of dice within a theatre-like structure contributes to the understanding of the function of the building and supports the possibility that this area should be seen as a civic centre of the newly established colony. The cultural preferences of the residents of Aelia Capitolina, reflected through the archaeological findings, correspond to the gaming and gambling activities that were commonly practiced throughout the Roman Empire.