The game starts in 359BC when Philip II of Macedon takes the throne from his infant nephew. He is a young man full of ambition, but Macedonia at this period is a backwater, a relatively poor region on the edge of the Hellenic world with a weak economy and mediocre army. The future isn’t auspicious, but Philip has a dream to unite all of Greece, in order to push the Persians from Hellas for all time. A dream he would follow until his death... Players can choose from among 30 playable factions, including mighty Sparta, Boeotia (Thebes), or Athens; ambitious Macedonia; slowly declining Achaemenid Empire and its power-hungry satrapies; to several smaller Greek city-states and groups of semi-nomadic societies living on the outskirts of the Hellenic world.

Your task is to do much more than survive: You are the divine ruler who should bring glory, wealth, and prosperity to all your subjects. They look up to you as the one who will lead them to glorious victories; provide satisfying livelihoods; stable and just government; who will protect and redeem their lives. You are ruler as well as supreme military commander and political leader – almost nothing happens without your consent. All problems will be laid at your feet, and every crisis will be a test of your political and military prowess. It is not a task for the weak. Decisiveness, tactical thinking, political shrewdness and last but not least, adventurous spirit will instigate one person to stand out, to rise as a star that will shine through the darkness of centuries and millennia to come. ption.

The economic, political, social, and military life of the empire is fully in your hands. A number of tools are available that you can use to steer events within and without your empire, ranging from various diplomatic missions, political and military treaties and alliances, trading partnerships, to technological development. But your power stands and falls with your people. You might not care for an individual, but you have to care for your nation – an unhappy, angry, or disloyal population can and will let you feel its misery. Your position is not unshakable – beware!

Your sharpest tool is of course your army. They obey every command you give, marching to the ends of the earth if you wish it so, however... soldiers have expectations. They want fame and glory, booty from war campaigns, and strong and wise leadership. Fail to deliver glorious victories, fail to provide money or supplies, lose their trust in your infallibility, and things can turn bad in a short while.

It is up to you to keep the morale of your armies, their battle-readiness and loyalty, high. Fail to do this and your empire will crumble as if under an earthquake.

Fully optional group of features that can be turned off without affecting remaining gameplay.

The mythical ancient world was inhabited by a variety of creatures of which only some were friendly to humans. Sailors must be aware of the deadly songs of the Sirens; soldiers can obtain training from the teacher of heroes, Centaur Chiron, whose beastly nature is unpredictable and so is his ‘help’.

Your generals can follow in the steps of the ancient heroes and try to untie the Gordian Knot or find the Golden Fleece.

The game offers a wide range of mythological figures as well as side quests that draw you right into the world as it used to be in the minds of the ancient people. You might not believe in magic, but wait until you face the mighty sorceress Kirke – you may realize that there is much unknown in the world...

Create your own world. Raise islands and continents above the sea level, cover them with high mountains, fertile valleys, and clear lakes. Populate the world with civilizations from nomadic groups to developed nations.

Set all map parameters as well as the initial level of development to your liking. You can define how equitably the resources will be distributed and how (dis)advantaged your starting position will be.

Give yourself a head start and learn the game at your own pace, or challenge yourself and make the game a fight for survival.