The Sumerians, who lived in what used to be Mesopotamia, mentioned Backgammon in their writings from more than 5,000 years ago. This may make it the oldest game in history. We do know that it was played in Egypt, because backgammon boards and even a dice box were found in Tutenkamen's tomb. Other boards have been excavated from ancient cemeteries and archeological sites.
The Egyptians called Backgammon, Tau. Later, a game called Senat appeared in Egypt and some historians think that Senat evolved from Tau. Other names for Backgammon are Tabula and Alea from Ancient Rome, Sugoroko from Japan and Tshu-pu from Ancient China. Persia, later called Iran, also had Backgammon, which they called Takh-teh-nard, meaning "Battle on Wood".
Many famous people have played Backgammon. Claudius, the Roman emperor, was so addicted to the game that he even ordered a Backgammon set for his coach and played while he travelled throughout the Roman Empire.
Backgammon has fallen in and out of favor over the centuries. However, sometime in the 1930's someone invented the doubling cube, which revolutionized the game. Suddenly, there were many more options to best an opponent and raise the stakes higher in games played for money. Then, later on, during the 60's and 70's, Backgammon made even more of a comeback. Clubs were formed and magazines and newsletters kept fans in touch with each other and with the game.
With the rise of the Internet, Backgammon has begun to rival poker in popularity online. And while Poker is considered a game of chance, thus making it's legality iffy online, Backgammon is a game of skill. Playing Backgammon for free or for cash has become very popular on the Net. Large gaming sites host Backgammon games for high stakes and many players from novice to expert, are cashing in.