In Thebes, you and your fellow players are archeologists who travel through Europe acquiring knowledge, equipment, and assistants. You will be required to excavate historical sites in the regions of ancient Greece, Crete, Egypt, Palestine, and Mesopotamia. Time is of the essence in Thebes. Players have to manage time as every action takes between one and ten weeks, with the game only lasting for three years. The innovative time track serves both as a turn indicator and game timer. Spend too much time preparing and there will only be dirt left to dig up!