So the empire becomes a video game: Anno 117, Pax Romana arrives

The title, part of the long saga of the Anno strategy games, moves for the first time into antiquity. The year 117 A.D. is the time when Rome reaches its maximum extension, but also the beginning of a long tension between centre and periphery. The player plays the role of a provincial governor and must administer resources, found cities, weave trade, and ensure stability. Unlike traditional games of conquest, the focus here is on peace-building - that 'Pax Romana' which more than a historical fact is a political idea, the promise of universal order that every empire, from Rome to Washington, has sooner or later evoked.

"Roman culture," the game designer reflects, "also bears striking similarities to the modern world, creating an interesting twist: an Empire from the distant past, yet in many ways familiar today. Their political system resembled aspects of modern democracy and their legal framework influenced many laws today. They built roads, aqueducts, public baths and amphitheatres, just as modern cities rely on highways, plumbing, public transport and stadiums'.

As Roman governors, it is up to the players to decide whether they want to remain faithful to their local identity or whether they want to impose Roman ambitions - a feature called 'Romanisation' in the game. This choice affects the visual appearance of the players' cities: unlike their Celtic neighbours, Romanised residents will adopt classical Roman architecture, such as arches and tiled roofs."

The strength of the game then lies in the implicit message. In times of new geopolitical tensions, Year 117 proposes a reflection on power as responsibility. Peace is not the natural state of empire, but an unstable balance to be maintained day by day. Wealth does not come from conquest, but from the ability to reconcile differences. It is a historical but also political lesson, which finds in video games - more than in speeches - a ground for experimentation.