How long does it take you to get your first three cities? I usually get mine by 2000 BC, after some fairly vigorous chopping and exploring. Is this too late? Is this too early?

ETA: Obviously the poll should be, "In what year do you get your first three cities (Normal Speed)?". I can't find a way to fix it.

Attached is a random screenshot of my current Noble Continents Standard Normal game at 2120BC just as I send off this post:

I make an effort to get to three cities as fast as I can and then give them time to grow before starting more. I want one city producing workers and military units, one working on an early wonder, and one constructing culture/commerce buildings. I like to play with Raging Barbarians, and I can usually get the three started before they start to appear. After that, expansion has to be slow and deliberate.

Entirely depends on which victory I have planned and map size.

depends on difficulty right? on emperor+, I don't even bother building a third, I'll just take an AI's