“In this context, it’s understandable some of those looking at the small board thought it was used to play a game to honor the god Saturn, with a prisoner chosen in the process executed at sunset.”
I’ve never heard of the Romans having such a game. Did they, or did somebody just make this up?
From time immemorial, soldiers have tended to be partial to gambling games. And just about anything can be turned into a gambling game.
Wanna bet?