I just rage quit a game. I had all but destroyed Boadicea she had just two small cities left, but I needed my units to go fight off Napoleon. So I made peace with her and I sent in a great profit and converted her two cities, and used an inquisitor to eradicate the last vestiges of her religion.
So with my religion everywhere I felt fine about leaving her alone. Than some 100+ turns later (marathon) she puts out a great profit and starts turning my cities to her, I thought, eradicated religion. I didn't even know that could happen as I usually wipe out any civilization I attack. I was already number one in everything anyway except tech (but gaining rapidly) and had Ethiopia on the run (and France out of the game) so I just gave up in disgust. So back to my policy of total destruction of all foes.
Speaking of salt starts, if I have one it seems 9 out of 10 times there will be a very close aggressive neighbor...maybe coincidence but I think there may be something in the script to compensate for such a good start.
I sometimes play those game when you get attacked very early when you have only a very few units...it can be fun though usually I'll quit them after I beat that opponent as my empire will be just too far behind everyone else by then.
One game I once was on an island with mountains and nowhere to go except one direction and that was another civ just a few tiles away who attacked me before I even had time to build my first unit...that was fun, I managed to keep him off with my warrior, and a scout I had started building first thing, until I managed to build an archer, but by the time I won I was so far behind everyone it made deity level seem like a fair, even start by comparison.