Nah, Persians=Turks won't work, but with the current civ model, I think it would be quite difficult to introduce a new civ within it's appropriate time of birth.
Actually, if we'd believe in historical accuracy none of those civs should be started at 4000 B.C. (the Egyptians, the first real civ in the historical era, didn't get started till 3000 B.C.).
But, my list (if that 16 is the absolute number they could come up with - graphic work and all) would consist of those civs:
- Greek (the founding fathers of the Western Civilization and Democracy and Science... do I have to tell more?)
- Romans (they had a fair share of the foundinf of the western civ, and generally a huge influence thereafter - and one of the largest empires the world has ever seen)
- Egypt (they are the first recorded civilization and they left some great masterpieces behind, to remind us of their greatness)
- Babylonians (yes, they should be adequate enough to represent all the mesopotamia civs that thrived as far as 3 milenia B.C. - sumerians, akkadians, assyrians, hettati etc. etc.)
- Nubians (my choice for "black Africa" - explained why in my previous post)
- Chinese (very ancient, very scientific, very influental)
- Japanese (one of the most fascinating cultures, with great influence and a definite role in history)
- Incas (a great civ in the American continent-destroyed by the ...brave conquistadores and the European germs...)
- Aztecs (same as above, they deserved to be America's second civ)
- Mongols (they had the greatest empires of all times and were the most fiersome warriors for ages)
- Indians (very ancient, very influental, and still a great nation)
- Russians (a civilization that has played a major role in the last 12 centuries)
- Americans (quite fresh, but influental nonetheless, plus the greatest market for Firaxi's products
- just kidding, they ought to be in it)
- Arabs (for reasons explained in my previous post)
- Spaniards (after the reconquista, those played a very, very significant role in the world history)
- British (I guess Celts would fall under their umbrella too - they were the USA of the 17th, 18th and 19th century, isn't that enough?)
If further additions would be ok I'd include (in that order) the Vikings, the Franks, the Germans, the Iroqui confederation, the Byzantine, the Turks, the Ethiopian, the Mayas and maybe the Minoans