I've noticed that the fastest way religion spreads without missionaries, is via trade routes. If you've ever seen some city halfway across the globe suddenly adopt your religion, its because of a trade route. It seems trade routes, while being quite powerful and valueable on their own for the gold, also help religion spread. That brings me to my question:

Is there ANY way to adjust what cities your cities trade with? Even with open borders and free-market civics... most of my cities are locked into domestic trading. This not only squanders the finantial potential of a trade route, it also doesn't let my religion spread...since the two cities are already both in that religion.

Any help at adjusting my trade routes would be most helpful.

I am not sure which, but I know researching certain techs or building some wonders will increase the amount of trade routes a city, or all your cities, can have.

How to you actually establish a trade route?

is it true that the later religions spread slower then the earlie ones?

is it true that the later religions spread slower then the earlie ones?

I don't know, but it sure seems like it. Every game I've played, Hinduism, Buddism and Judaism have been the dominants, while Confusionism and Islam have generally been confined to 1 city. (unless I the player founded them, then they tend to spread more widely)

I think the slower religion spread is an illusion. I think a city without religion is more likly to adopt one. But by the time the later religions come around, almost all the cities have them.

Also, a city is more likly to adopt a religion is it is near the holy city. So later in the game, the empire is larger and cities are farther from the holy city.

>>while Confusionism and Islam...

Confusionism seems to be a popular religion these days. LOL