Dark times loom over the kingdom of Thebes. The blind, old king Oedipus has left his throne in disgrace and asked his sons, Polynices and Eteocles, to rule the city together. However, power corrupts and ancient grudges demand new blood to be spilled. Soon, Polynices finds himself leading an army from the rival city of Argos against his own brother. The nobles of Thebes support Eteocles as he maintains a fragile hold on power. The young king calls defenders to man the city’s seven gates, while the seven heroes of the invaders lead the assault. Meanwhile, the famous citadel of Thebes, Cadmea, is in disorder. It is as if the Fates have set an expiration date on the current rulers of Thebes!

As common families prepare for war, the nobles whisper among themselves that it is time for new leadership and that the time to rebuild Cadmea is now!

In the game Thebes, players take on the roles of influential leaders from noble families during the tumultuous late Bronze Age. Throughout the game, players are tasked with rebuilding Cadmea, the citadel of Thebes, while restoring the city's exports, seeking help from the city’s gods, and protecting the lives of citizens as great heroes shed each other’s blood outside the gates.

The game lasts for 10 rounds, each divided into an Action phase and a Fate phase. During the Action phase, players use a Citizen die and then move their Archon to Cadmea. During the Fate phase, players may receive additional scoring opportunities depending on their achievements and defense of the city’s gates. After final scoring, the player with the most Victory Points is the winner.