History words for Alias — eras, wars, inventions

Eras, rulers, wars, inventions and everyday life of the past. No names or dates, just words.

A set about the past: how people lived, fought, ruled and what they invented. Knights, pharaohs, steam engines, candles and wells. No names and no dates — the set holds only common words, so nobody loses because they forgot when the battle was.

Who this set is for

It is for a group that finds history interesting at least at the level of films and guided tours. Castle and knight go instantly, while fief or inquisition already call on memories of school lessons.

Who this set is for

A group that likes museums, historical series and arguments about whether it really happened that way. Children clear the easy level too — sword, crown, pyramid. The medium one — reform, dynasty, siege — is the most interesting at a mixed table. The hard one — suzerain, secularisation, ostracism — asks for at least one humanities graduate at the table. A good choice for the evening after a tour or a historical film.

Siege

Works: “an army stands under the city walls and waits for the food inside to run out.” A picture from any castle film. Does not work: “a military operation against a fortification” — the group will start with assault, attack, war.

Pharaoh

Works: “the king they built a pyramid for.” One recognisable word next to it and the answer is ready. Does not work: “the ruler of an ancient state” — far too wide: it will be tsar, king, emperor until the time runs out.

Well

Works: “where a village got its water before there were taps: a bucket on a chain.” Does not work: “a source of water” — the group will say river, stream, spring. Explain household words through what a person did with them.

Where groups go wrong

The first trap is dates and names. “It happened in 1066” or “Louis ruled there” is a clue only to whoever remembers, and the rest stay silent. The set is built so that names are not needed: explain through what a person did or what it looked like. The second is the dictionary chain: monarch through ruler, ruler through sovereign — three synonyms and no answers. The third is mixing up eras: “an old weapon” fits a sword and a musket alike. Say who used it and against whom.

Explain eras through what people wore and fought with: "plate armour and lances" is the Middle Ages.
Inventions go through what they changed at home: "light without a candle" leads to the bulb.
If the word is a rank, say who is above it and who is below: "only the king above him" is a duke.

Easy

Familiar words that land on the first clue. For warming up, for kids and for mixed groups.

history, past, king, queen, prince, princess, castle, knight, sword, shield, bow, arrow, spear, horse, rider, crown, throne, palace, fortress, wall, tower, gate, bridge, moat, pyramid, pharaoh, mummy, viking, warrior, soldier, battle, war, peace, victory, defeat, enemy, ally, flag, drum, trumpet, helmet, armour, bonfire, candle, torch, cave, mammoth, hunter, stone, bronze, iron, gold, treasure, coin, pirate, map, ship, sail, anchor, cannon, gunpowder, musket, village, hut, stove, well, cart, wheel, plough, sickle, mill, market, fair, merchant, blacksmith, potter, monk, temple, church, bell, book, scroll, quill, ink, clay, brick, road, march, camp, tent, captive, ransom, hero, legend, ancient, ancestor, tribe, chief, slave, peasant

Medium

Takes a few sentences and some imagination. The default setting for an ordinary evening.

era, century, millennium, dynasty, empire, emperor, kingdom, republic, senate, senator, consul, legion, legionary, gladiator, arena, chariot, amphora, toga, tunic, forum, orator, philosopher, chronicle, chronicler, manuscript, parchment, seal, crest, title, count, duke, baron, marquis, vassal, fief, estate, serf, uprising, revolt, mutiny, coup, revolution, reform, crusader, pilgrim, inquisition, heretic, plague, epidemic, alchemist, printing, siege, assault, trench, front, rear, general, marshal, admiral, fleet, frigate, galley, caravel, colony, navigator, discovery, monarchy, constitution, parliament, deputy, election, manifesto, decree, charter, treaty, truce, surrender, trophy, commander, scout, messenger, ambassador, embassy, tribute, tax, toll, treasury, guild, apprentice, tournament, herald, armourer, forge, anvil, chainmail, visor, crossbow, catapult, ram, mercenary

Hard

Rare or abstract words. More failed rounds, and more laughing at them.

suzerain, secularisation, ostracism, absolutism, mercantilism, feudalism, benefice, investiture, interdict, concordat, union, regent, regency, usurper, usurpation, succession, primogeniture, annals, palaeography, numismatics, sigillography, heraldry, genealogy, chronology, periodisation, historiography, artefact, relic, excavation, stratigraphy, dolmen, menhir, cromlech, palaeolithic, neolithic, mesolithic, antiquity, hellenism, renaissance, enlightenment, scholasticism, humanism, reformation, counter-reformation, indulgence, heresy, schism, caliphate, caliph, sultanate, vizier, janissary, khan, horde, satrap, patrician, plebeian, tribune, dictator, triumph, triumvirate, proscription, centurion, cohort, praetorian, latifundium, oligarchy, tyranny, despotism, agora, polis, metropolis, magistrate, burgomaster, privilege, serfdom, emancipation, abolitionism, segregation, colonialism, imperialism, industrialisation, urbanisation, manufactory, mechanisation, electrification, plebiscite, ratification, annexation, secession, protectorate, dominion, ultimatum, reparation, indemnity, blockade, embargo, demarcation, trebuchet, arquebus