Zara is a

game of chance A game of chance is in contrast with a game of skill. It is a game whose outcome is strongly influenced by some randomizing device. Common devices used include dice, spinning tops, playing cards, roulette wheels, or numbered balls drawn from a ...

that was played in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

. It was most commonly played with three

dice Dice (singular die or dice) are small, throwable objects with marked sides that can rest in multiple positions. They are used for generating random values, commonly as part of tabletop games, including dice games, board games, role-playing g ...

, although there were regional variations. Each player would throw the dice, calling out a number at the same time. If the number he called was not the sum of the dice, he would pay a number of coins equal to the number he called; if the number he called was the sum of the dice, he would collect a number of coins equal to the number called.

In literature

Zara is mentioned by

Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...

in the

Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and ...

: Italian Text Quando si parte il gioco de la zara, colui che perde si riman dolente, repetendo le volte, e tristo impara: con l’altro se ne va tutta la gente; qual va dinanzi, e qual di dietro il prende, e qual da lato li si reca a mente: el non s’arresta, e questo e quello intende; a cui porge la man, piú non fa pressa, e cosí da la calca si difende. English Translation Whene'er is broken up the game of Zara, He who has lost remains behind despondent, The throws repeating, and in sadness learns; The people with the other all depart; One goes in front, and one behind doth pluck him, And at his side one brings himself to mind; He pauses not, and this and that one hears; They crowd no more to whom his hand he stretches, And from the throng he thus defends himself.

References

{{Reflist Games of chance