The origin of the game can be traced as far back as the Iraqi city of Ur dating to about 3,000 B.C.E. Pharaonic Egyptians also played a checkers-like game called Alquerque on a five-by-five board. The Greek philosohers Homer and Plato mention a draughts-like game in their works. In about 1100, the French used a 64-square chessboard to play the game. Later, the rules became more set and its popularity spread to Great Britain, where it was called "draughts." In America it became known as "checkers." When a rule requiring the capture of opposing pieces was added to the game, rather than making this optional, it became the same as modern checkers.