Greece vs. Rome: Which is better for a Campaign?

[Lanefan]

I voted for the Greek world because of the fragmented nature of the Greek world. That said, I think D&D is a bit OTT for a Classical peroid campaign though thinking about, it would fit ok with a Xena/Herclues the Legendary Journeys type treatment.

Which is, as fate would have it, about exactly what I've done with my current campaign: a rough cross between Classical Greece and Xena. The "Greek" empire is in serious decline - reduced to a few squabbling city-states, in fact - and the wolves ("Romans", barbarians, Elves, pirates) are circling.

Greece is chaotic. Rome is lawful. Pick yer favourite and go.

Lanefan

 

[ProfessorPain]

Which is, as fate would have it, about exactly what I've done with my current campaign: a rough cross between Classical Greece and Xena. The "Greek" empire is in serious decline - reduced to a few squabbling city-states, in fact - and the wolves ("Romans", barbarians, Elves, pirates) are circling.

Greece is chaotic. Rome is lawful. Pick yer favourite and go.

Lanefan

There was a Hercules and Xena role playing game that came out some years back. I actually own the boxed set, even though I have never played it.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I said Greece simply because in Greek myth there seems to be a stronger connection to fantastical myth. The types of myth that are the foundation to a D&D adventure.

 

[Lanefan]

There was a Hercules and Xena role playing game that came out some years back. I actually own the boxed set, even though I have never played it.

I have it - or had it - also; but while the setting was fine I prefer old-school D+D as a game system. That, and I like world-building.

Lanefan

 

[Starglim]

It doesn't depend on the system, but it does depend what you like in a setting.

The Empire suits D&D 2e Renaissance clockpunk, or CoC investigation in a sometimes-grim foreign culture.

Greek legend suits the D&D 1e and 4e assumptions of divided city-states, quasi-feudal autarkic economics (that is, trade and commerce exist at the whim and for the benefit of those who wield violence in the setting) and encroaching wilderness where common folk travel at the risk of their lives. (But I agree with kigmatzomat that the end of the Roman Empire fits this model, especially 4e, even better than real Classical Greece.)

 

[IanArgent]

Not only does ancient greece fit the points-of-light style of world better (IMHO), but they had a much bigger appreciation for both the individual hero and the "adventuring" band. The romans basically had to steal the greek myths because they were more impressive than most of their own. (On average - I'm certainly not putting Horatio at the bridge down, for example).

 

[wingsandsword]

My personal pick would be for Rome. Indisputable common language, wide variety of character archetypes with plenty of plot hooks (legionnaire, senator, gladiator ect.) Also, as S'Mon pointed out, the Roman culture is a lot closer to the modern culture we are used to than ancient Greek culture so it's a lot easier to get in character.

In fact, a homebrew world I've been working at on-and-off over the last few years is heavily based on Imperial Rome (with other cultures of the Ancient world being the basis for other regions outside the home area the campaign is centered in, so if they go afield they get to encounter peoples much akin to the Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greeks, a little further out they get to encounter Celts and Goths, and if they go really far afield Han-Dynasty-Era Ancient Chinese).

Now, as several people have pointed out, the presumed "points of light" model of 4e doesn't fit well with the peak of the Roman Empire, but that's just one play style and there is a lot more to D&D settings than just "points of light". I still have and quite enjoy the old "Glory of Rome" sourcebook for running historical Roman games in 2e. That they never made historical sourcebooks for 3e was one of the big letdowns of the 3.x era that looks like it's going to get repeated with 4e.

 

[Jack7]

My campaign setting is the Byzantine Empire. So I get the best of both. And I get both Latin and Greek to boot.

But if I had to choose just one, whereas I think the Roman World more interfering politically and economically and socially, it was also, depending on era of course, far more civilized and tamed.

Therefore to me, I'd prefer Greece for the frontier feel, the wildness and untamed nature of it, the "world is all new and still unexplored" aspect of looking at things, and because magic and myth would still be very wild and untamed. And dangerous. I like my myth and my magic and my monsters untamed, unknown, very dangerous and highly unpredictable. Plus you could throw in things like Persia, Crete, various Greek Colonies, many of the Ancient Wonders, incredible monsters, the Olympics, Alexandria and parts of Africa, the Aeneid and the Odyssey, the Amazons, volcanic eruptions and massive earthquakes, Alexander's campaigns, maybe even a shot at India, or onto the Black Sea. (Depending on era of course.)

So I like Rome, but Greece would be my kinda frontier. Like the American frontier of the mountain men, or the Wild West of the Indian Wars. So for me it'd be Greece.

 

[ProfessorPain]

My campaign setting is the Byzantine Empire. So I get the best of both. And I get both Latin and Greek to boot.

But if I had to choose just one, whereas I think the Roman World more interfering politically and economically and socially, it was also, depending on era of course, far more civilized and tamed.

Therefore to me, I'd prefer Greece for the frontier feel, the wildness and untamed nature of it, the "world is all new and still unexplored" aspect of looking at things, and because magic and myth would still be very wild and untamed. And dangerous. I like my myth and my magic and my monsters untamed, unknown, very dangerous and highly unpredictable. Plus you could throw in things like Persia, Crete, various Greek Colonies, many of the Ancient Wonders, incredible monsters, the Olympics, Alexandria and parts of Africa, the Aeneid and the Odyssey, the Amazons, volcanic eruptions and massive earthquakes, Alexander's campaigns, maybe even a shot at India, or onto the Black Sea. (Depending on era of course.)

So I like Rome, but Greece would be my kinda frontier. Like the American frontier of the mountain men, or the Wild West of the Indian Wars. So for me it'd be Greece.

I based one of my settings on the Byzantine Empire. Lots of fun. Did you find any interesting source material?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Greece is the one true ancient European civilization. Rome is just a cheap imitation of the real thing.