Greece

“There is nothing impossible to him who will try.” – Alexander the Great

Ancient Greece was the crucible of Western thought, art, and warfare. From the disciplined phalanxes of Sparta to the philosophical academies of Athens, Greek city-states produced innovations that would echo through millennia. Under Alexander the Great, Greek culture and military power swept across the known world in one of history’s most breathtaking campaigns of conquest.

Civilisation Bonus

Hellenic March – All melee units receive +1 movement. This bonus transforms Greece into a relentless offensive power, allowing infantry and melee forces to cover ground faster than any opponent expects. The extra movement enables aggressive early rushes, rapid repositioning during battle, and the ability to chase down retreating enemies. Combined with Alexander’s aggressive personality, Greece is built to conquer.

Unique Unit

Companion Cavalry (replaces Knight)

The Companion Cavalry sacrifices defensive staying power for blistering speed and a simpler resource requirement. With 4 movement points, they are among the fastest land units in the game, and they require only Horses rather than both Horses and Iron. This makes them easier to field and devastatingly effective at flanking manoeuvres, raiding undefended cities, and pursuing routed enemies. However, their lower defence means they should avoid prolonged engagements against fortified positions.

Strategy

Greece is built for aggression. The +1 melee movement bonus is active from the very start of the game, meaning your Warriors and early melee units can reach enemy territory before opponents have time to prepare defences. Use this advantage to apply early pressure – even if you don’t take a city, you can disrupt enemy development and force them to build military units instead of infrastructure.

The Companion Cavalry amplifies this aggressive posture in the mid-game. Their 4 movement points let them strike deep behind enemy lines, pillaging improvements and threatening undefended cities. Because they only require Horses and not Iron, you can field them even if iron deposits are scarce. Pair them with your movement-boosted melee infantry for a combined arms approach that overwhelms opponents with speed.

Be mindful that Greece’s strengths are weighted toward offence. Your unique units and bonuses don’t help with turtling or playing defensively. If you fall behind in expansion early, it becomes harder to leverage your advantages. Commit to an aggressive expansion plan, secure key resources, and keep the pressure on your neighbours. A passive Greece is a wasted Greece.

Historical Background

Ancient Greece was never a single unified state but rather a collection of fiercely independent city-states, or poleis, each with its own government, military, and culture. Athens pioneered democracy and became a centre of philosophy, drama, and the arts. Sparta forged the ancient world’s most feared infantry. Together, these city-states repelled the massive Persian invasions of the early 5th century BCE, preserving Greek independence and cultural development.

The rise of Macedon under Philip II and his son Alexander the Great transformed Greece from a collection of squabbling city-states into the launching pad for the largest empire the world had yet seen. Between 334 and 323 BCE, Alexander conquered the Persian Empire, Egypt, and parts of Central Asia and India, spreading Greek language and culture across a vast territory. His empire fragmented after his death at age 32, but the Hellenistic kingdoms that succeeded it maintained Greek cultural influence for centuries.

Greek contributions to philosophy, mathematics, science, literature, and political theory form the bedrock of Western intellectual tradition. Thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle shaped centuries of thought. Greek architectural and artistic conventions influenced Roman culture and, through it, the entire Western world. The Olympic Games, democratic governance, and the tradition of rational inquiry all trace their origins to ancient Greece.

City Names

Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, Alexandria, Olympia, Delphi, Argos, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Ephesus, Pergamon, Knossos, Mycenae, Syracuse, Miletus, Troy, Byzantium, Heraklion, Patras